Tom Sandoval Scandal: Affair, Lawsuit, AGT, and Career Update

Tom Sandoval’s public unraveling — from the 2023 affair that ended his nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix to a legal battle he later abandoned — keeps generating new chapters. Here’s where things stand after the lawsuit was dropped, the America’s Got Talent appearance that backfired, and what comes next for the Vanderpump Rules star.

Born: July 7, 1983 ·
Known for: Vanderpump Rules cast member ·
Occupation: TV personality, restaurateur, musician ·
Notable event: 2023 affair with Raquel Leviss ·
AGT performance: 2025, Simon Cowell booed ·
Lawsuit status: Lawsuit against Ariana Madix dropped in 2024

Six key facts that define the story, one pattern: a public figure trying to juggle legal exposure, damaged relationships, and a career pivot that keeps drawing more attention than applause.

The pattern in the table below: Sandoval’s biography reads as a standard reality star profile until the major scandal that rewrote his public narrative.

The implication: Sandoval’s pre-scandal identity as a successful reality TV restaurateur now stands in permanent tension with the public’s primary association of him with the affair.

What was the deal with Tom Sandoval?

Who is Tom Sandoval?

Tom Sandoval, born Thomas Anthony Sandoval on July 7, 1983, in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American television personality, restaurateur and musician. He joined the cast of Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules in 2013 and became one of its most recognizable figures over a decade on air.

What is Tom Sandoval known for?

Sandoval is known primarily for his long run on Vanderpump Rules, where his relationships, business ventures and personal conflicts played out on camera. Off screen, he owns the cocktail bar TomTom with co-star Tom Schwartz and fronts the band Tom Sandoval And The Most Extras. His public profile exploded in 2023 after news of his affair with co-star Raquel Leviss broke, an event that came to be called “Scandoval.”

What did Sandoval do to Ariana Madix?

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix relationship timeline

Sandoval and Madix were in a relationship for approximately nine years, living together and appearing as a couple on Vanderpump Rules. The relationship was considered one of the show’s anchor pairings.

What happened during the affair?

In March 2023, Madix discovered that Sandoval had been carrying on a secret affair with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss. The revelation came during what was already a tense period on set. According to a Rolling Stone (entertainment news outlet) report, the fallout triggered multiple legal claims, including a privacy lawsuit from Leviss that a judge allowed to proceed in May 2024.

Did Tom ever apologize to Ariana?

What did Tom Sandoval say in his apology?

After the affair became public, Sandoval issued a public apology to Ariana Madix. In interviews following the scandal, he acknowledged the hurt he caused and expressed regret for the way things unfolded. The apology received widespread media coverage as part of the broader Scandoval narrative.

Did Ariana accept his apology?

Madix has expressed skepticism about the sincerity of Sandoval’s apology. In interviews and public appearances, she has indicated that she views his words with caution, given the secrecy and duration of the affair. The relationship remains fractured, with both parties moving forward separately.

Is Tom still suing Ariana?

Why did Tom Sandoval sue Ariana Madix?

In 2024, Sandoval filed an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit against Madix. The legal action stemmed from allegations that Madix accessed private content on his phone without authorization. The case was widely seen as a direct extension of the Scandoval fallout.

When was the lawsuit dropped?

Sandoval reversed course on the lawsuit in July 2024, according to a Los Angeles Times (major U.S. news outlet) report. By late 2024, he had dropped the case entirely and parted ways with his lawyer. The decision effectively closed a chapter that had drawn significant criticism from fans and observers who saw the lawsuit as retaliatory.

What did Simon Cowell say about Tom Sandoval?

Simon Cowell’s reaction to Tom Sandoval’s AGT performance

Tom Sandoval appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2025 with his band Tom Sandoval And The Most Extras. During the audition, the performance suffered a technical malfunction, as reported by KFOX TV (local news broadcaster). Simon Cowell delivered a blunt critique, saying, The vocals weren’t great, Tom, according to Yahoo News Canada (news aggregation site).

Why was Simon Cowell booed?

After Cowell’s negative feedback, audience members began booing the judge. The moment was captured on camera and circulated widely on social media. Yahoo News Canada reported that the crowd’s reaction reflected lingering public sympathy for Sandoval or, alternatively, frustration with Cowell’s blunt style. Sandoval later told Access Hollywood (entertainment news program) that the performance did not go according to plan but defended his band’s work.

Quotes from key figures

The vocals weren’t great, Tom.

— Simon Cowell, critiquing Sandoval’s AGT performance, as reported by Yahoo News Canada

It did not go according to plan.

— Tom Sandoval, reacting to his AGT performance, speaking to Access Hollywood

The pattern across these quotes is revealing: Sandoval’s attempts to move past the scandal keep generating new public moments that reinforce the original narrative. A reality star seeking redemption through a talent show found himself on the wrong end of a judge’s critique and a crowd’s boos. The legal battles that were supposed to be over keep resurfacing through Leviss’s still-active claims. For Sandoval, the gap between where he wants to be and where public perception places him remains wide. The outcome: a saga that keeps producing new chapters no one—least of all Sandoval—seems able to close.

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For a detailed breakdown of the affair, lawsuit, and AGT backlash, check out Tom Sandovals scandal timeline.

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