Rachel Leviss Accuses Lisa Vanderpump of 'Victim Shaming' Her Amid Lawsuit

In the ongoing saga surrounding  Rachel Leviss' lawsuit against Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, another twist has emerged as Leviss responds to recent comments by Lisa Vanderpump.

Earlier this month, Vanderpump made headlines when she weighed in on Leviss' lawsuit. In an interview with TMZ, Vanderpump characterized Leviss' filing as "ridiculous," implying that Leviss should have anticipated the consequences of sending explicit videos to her friend's boyfriend. 

However, Vanderpump later clarified that she was unaware of Sandoval's alleged recording of Leviss without her consent when she made those remarks.

In response to Vanderpump's comments, Leviss addressed the matter on her Rachel Goes Rogue podcast. Leviss initially speculated that Vanderpump may not have been fully informed about the situation, but she later learned that Vanderpump's statements might have been deliberate for media attention. Leviss accused Vanderpump of strategically shaping the narrative to favor her cast members.

"Immediately, I was like, 'Oh, she didn't read the brief,'" Leviss said on Monday's podcast episode. "But then, you know, insiders told me like, 'Oh no, she knows exactly what she's doing.' She's saying this statement for the press to pick up this certain story."

Leviss's lawsuit, filed in February, alleges eavesdropping, revenge porn, and invasion of privacy stemming from an intimate video allegedly filmed by Sandoval without her consent. Leviss claims that Madix discovered the video, ending her relationship with Sandoval and sparking an international scandal.

"It took a long time to really decide if I'm going to press charges or not. And I felt like it was important to to bring this up," she explained. "My privacy was violated in a very intimate and unsuspecting way, and it is embarrassing and not something that I'm proud of at all. So to have her push out a certain type of story that isn't anywhere near the truth of what has happened is very disappointing."

Clarifying details of the incident, Leviss revealed on her podcast that the video was recorded over a FaceTime call, and she only became aware of it when it was sent to her. She expressed disappointment in Vanderpump's stance, stating that it contradicted the truth of what occurred and felt like “victim-shaming.”

"It's going back like years and years, decades and decades of back when people would say, 'Oh well she was wearing booty shorts. She was asking for it. Oh, she deserved it because she looked a certain way.' It's very, very icky," Leviss said. "It doesn't feel right."

She continued, "It's one thing to be an advocate and advocate for [Sandoval's] mental health in general, but it's another to twist and turn things to support one of your cast members who is a male and have the woman take the fall."

Highlighting Vanderpump's power as Sandoval's business partner in L.A. bar TomTom and as an executive producer of Vanderpump Rules, Leviss emphasized the importance of standing up for herself. She underscored the need to challenge disseminating falsehoods and advocate for her rights.

Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo

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