'In No Way Am I Suing Ariana': Tom Sand...

Tom Sandoval has dropped the lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix in which he alleged she invaded his privacy and distributed explicit videos of him and Rachel Leviss without his permission

Published Time: 19.07.2024 - 07:31:04 Modified Time: 19.07.2024 - 07:31:04

Tom Sandoval has dropped the lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix in which he alleged she invaded his privacy and distributed explicit videos of him and Rachel Leviss without his permission.

Sandoval, 42, first filed the suit against Madix, 39, on Wednesday, July 17. In the complaint, the Vanderpump Rules star alleged that on March 1, 2023, his then-girlfriend, Madix, accessed his phone without his "permission" and reviewed "images, information, data, videos and/or communications" that included "FaceTime videos" between him and Leviss, with whom he was having an affair.

However, on Thursday, July 18, Sandoval issued a statement to Instagram announcing that he dropped the suit and removed attorney Matt Geragos from his legal team.

Sandoval wrote that Geragos advised him on Tuesday, July 16, “about the Cross-Complaint in the lawsuit against myself and Ariana.”

“He assured me that the action was customary and strictly preventative in these types of lawsuits and urged me to agree to it,” he wrote. Sandoval claimed that “the words ‘New Lawsuit’ or ‘Suing’ were not articulated to" him.

“I should've done more of my due diligence on the matter. Upon realizing what this action actually means, I have removed Matt Geragos from my legal team,” the Bravo star added before confirming, “In no way am I suing Ariana.”

“The action against Ariana brought on my behalf is being removed. I hold no ill will or vindictiveness toward Ariana.”

He concluded the Instagram statement: “Now, by removing both the Cross-Complaint and the attorney who recommended it, I hope to get through this case quickly, so that Ariana and I can both finally MOVE ON with our lives.”

PEOPLE reached out to Geragos for comment.

In the lawsuit complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Sandoval claimed that Madix "made copies of the data and distributed the data to Leviss and third parties without his authorization or permission." He was seeking "punitive damages" for Madix's alleged actions.

He alleged the incident occurred on March 1, 2023 — two days before PEOPLE confirmed that Sandoval and Madix had broken up after nine years together as a result of his affair with Leviss.

Sandoval also claimed that Madix "invaded his right to privacy” through her "unauthorized and unpermitted access to, use of and copying of the data on his cell phone and her distribution of the data to Leviss."

He then alleged that the Love Island USA host is "guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice" bec -

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ause she "acted with the intent to vex, injure, or annoy Sandoval and/or with a willful and conscious disregard of Sandoval’s rights."

Madix's attorney, Jordan Susman, tells PEOPLE, “We are pleased that Mr. Sandoval has stated his intention to dismiss his cross-complaint against Ms. Madix. This entire lawsuit against Ms. Madix is without merit, and it is only a matter of time before it is dismissed completely.”

Susman had previously said in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, July 17, that Madix is "confident that a jury will see through this latest ploy and dismiss his frivolous claims.” The attorney added that “it is abhorrent that Tom Sandoval continues to torment Ms. Madix.”

"Mr. Sandoval knows full well what sort of privileges he and Ms. Madix shared in regard to their personal communication devices. If he or his mistress had their way, it would be illegal for someone to discover their spouse or significant other was having an affair."

This week’s events come nearly five months after Leviss, 29, sued him and Madix over claims of eavesdropping, revenge porn and invasion of privacy.

In Leviss’ February filing, which was obtained by PEOPLE, she claimed that the events of the fallout, dubbed Scandoval, "captured the public's attention in a massive way" which "caused mayhem in Leviss's life" resulting in a months-long voluntary stay at a mental health facility and her departure from VPR.

As a result, Sandoval countered the suit, claiming that Leviss' filing was a "thinly veiled attempt to extend her fame and to rebrand herself as the victim instead of the other woman."

His countersuit also addressed the aforementioned FaceTime videos and challenged her allegation that he "surreptitiously recorded two videos of her ‘in a state of undress and masturbating’." The filing claimed, “These videos were created by Leviss and published by Leviss to Sandoval via a consensual exchange on FaceTime."

Additionally, in April, Madix's attorney claimed Leviss is seeking to “punish Madix and blame Ms. Madix for the negative reaction Leviss received as a result of her affair with Mr. Sandoval.”

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Susman did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Thursday.