Katie Maloney has Ariana Madix’s back amid her latest drama with ex Tom Sandoval.
Us Weekly exclusively revealed on Tuesday, July 16, that Sandoval, 40, filed a lawsuit against Madix, 39, claiming she “obtained access” to his phone and accessed explicit videos of Rachel “Raquel” Leviss without his “authorization or permission” in March 2023. Maloney, 37, reacted to the news via Instagram, commenting on a post about the drama, writing, “Authorized permission … interesting choice of words pal. Anyways, you f—king suck dude.”
Maloney continued her thoughts in another comment on Wednesday, July 17, responding to a fan who stated, “wonder if he had ‘authorized permission’ to screen record the video in the first place. Riiiiiight 🤢.” She replied: “No he didn’t but he did share his phone [sic] pass code [sic] with his partner at the time. Mans [sic] confused about how that bit works I guess.”
In court docs obtained by Us on Tuesday, Sandoval alleged that Madix “made copies” of the video on his phone and sent it to “Leviss and third parties” without his consent.
Maloney went on to praise Madix via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, reposting a clip of the Love Island USA star showing off her outfit in a video shared on the show’s profile. “Cream rises to the top,” Maloney captioned the clip.
Madix and Sandoval ended their nearly 10-year relationship in March 2023 after the former discovered the video of Leviss, 29. The affair — which was subsequently dubbed Scandoval — played out on the VPR season 10 finale and carried over into the Bravo series’ 11th season, which aired earlier this year. (Sandoval and Leviss briefly dated amid the drama until calling it quits in May 2023.)
Madix’s attorney, Jordan Susman, responded to Sandoval’s lawsuit in a statement to Us on Tuesday, writing, “It is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix. From engaging in an illicit affair that shattered her home and stability, to months of emotional warfare and now this attempt to further shirk personal responsibility for the effects his actions have had on her and her emotional wellbeing. Tom Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices.”
Susman continued: “He has clearly learned nothing and believes it necessary to continue torturing Ms. Madix in a vain effort to rehabilitate his image. Ms. Madix is confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims.”
Sandoval’s attorney, Matthew Geragos, told Us in a statement that the reality star “accepts full responsibility for the affair” but “strongly denies” allegations made against him and Madix made by Leviss in her own lawsuit filed earlier this year. Leviss accused the former couple of eavesdropping, revenge porn, invasion of privacy and inflicting emotional distress in court docs obtained by Us in February.
Sandoval responded by countersuing Leviss in April and demanded that the case be dismissed or amended in court docs obtained by Us at the time. Madix also filed her own countersuit, claiming that Leviss was seeking to blame her “for the negative reaction [she] received as a result of the affair.”
In addition to Sandoval’s lawsuit against Madix, the exes are currently in a legal battle over their former shared home. Us reported last month that the former couple’s case could go to trial in February 2026 unless they can settle their drama via private mediation.
Sandoval and his girlfriend, Victoria Lee Robinson, have also each deactivated their Instagram accounts in the wake of his video lawsuit news.
