The “Vanderpump Rules” star took to his Instagram on Thursday to address the situation after receiving backlash from co-stars over his decision to take legal action against Madix, whom he dated for nearly a decade.
“Late Tuesday morning, my attorney Matt Geragos, whose advice I trusted, called be about the Cross-Complaint in the lawsuit against myself and Ariana,” Sandoval wrote atop a black screen after temporarily deleting his account.
“He assured me that the action was customary and strictly preventative in these types of lawsuits and urged me to agree to it,” he continued.
Tom Sandoval fired his lawyer just days after suing Ariana Madix.Getty Images for The h.wood Group
The Bravolebrity revealed on Instagram Thursday that he was unaware of the lawsuit filed against Madix, whom he dated for nearly a decade.Instagram/@tomsandoval1
Sandoval claimed his attorney Matt Geragos didn’t clarify what the recently filed Cross-Complaint meant.arianamadix/Instagram
However, Sandoval claimed the terms “new lawsuit” and “suing” were “not articulated” to him during their conversation.
“I should’ve done more of my due diligence on the matter,” he admitted. “Upon realizing what this action actually means, I have removed Matt Geragos from my legal team.”
“In no way am I suing Ariana,” he clarified. “The action against Ariana brought on my behalf is being removed. I hold no ill will or vindictiveness toward Ariana.”
By removing the Cross-Complaint and Geragos from the equation, Sandoval hopes to move forward with the legal matter “quickly” so that everyone involved can “move on” with their lives.
“In no way am I suing Ariana,” he said in the statement.Instagram/ Tom Sandoval
Sandoval insisted that he holds “no ill will or vindictiveness” against his ex.arianamadix/Instagram
Sandoval’s romance with Madix infamously ended in March 2023 after she learned he had been cheating on her with former co-star Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
The Something About Her owner discovered their months-long affair after seeing an intimate Facetime video on his cell — which Leviss later claimed he filmed without her consent.
Nearly a year later, Leviss filed a bombshell revenge porn case against the pair, claiming Madix sent herself a copy of the NSFW video.
Then, earlier this week, Sandoval sued Madix for “obtain[ing] access” to the explicit videos of Leviss on his phone without “authorization or permission.”
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He also removed the recent lawsuit filed against her.arianamadix/Instagram
The pair’s relationship came to an end last year after the wannabe rocker was caught having an affair with Raquel Leviss.raquelleviss/Instagram
The wannabe rocker alleged that Madix made “copies” of the footage and “distributed” them to “Leviss and third parties.”
In a subsequent statement, the “Dancing With the Stars” alum’s lawyer called the filing an “abhorrent” attempt to “torture” Madix and “shirk responsibility for the effects of his actions.”
However, prior to being fired, Geragos defended the lawsuit, insisting it was just a “cross complaint” against Leviss’ original lawsuit.
“This customary legal action was crucial to ensure that liability, if any, is fairly distributed based on the actual level of involvement and fault of each party,” Geragos told the outlet. “We aim to resolve this legal dispute with upmost respect towards all parties involved.”