Broadimage/Shutterstock
VPR’s Raquel Leviss Issues Apology After Tom Sandoval Cheating Scandal: ‘There Is No Excuse’
Vanderpump Rules’ Raquel Leviss has broken her silence and issued an apology amid her cheating scandal with Tom Sandoval.
“I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” Raquel, 28, said in a statement via Instagram on Wednesday, March 8. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”
The Bravo star said that she’s been “reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counselor and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved.”
“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships,” she continued. “I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.”
Raquel went on to detail the backlash she’s faced since news of her affair with Tom, 39, broke on March 3. “Although I chose to be on a reality show accepting the good and bad that comes with it, beyond my own actions I have been physically assaulted, lost friendships, received death threats and hate emails in addition to having had my privacy violated,” she said.
“I have begun counseling to end my unhealthy behavioral cycle, learn to set stronger emotional boundaries and learn to protect my mental health,” the California native continued. “I don’t expect sympathy, understanding or forgiveness. Right now I must focus on my own health and well-being and as I strive to be a better person moving forward, I will prioritize my mental health and learn from my mistakes.”
Raquel issued the statement five days after Life & Style confirmed that Tom and Ariana Madix ended their longtime romance after the Florida native learned about the affair.
“The rumor is true — they, in fact, broke up due to Tom cheating on her with Raquel,” a source close to Ariana revealed to Life & Style at the time.
Soon after news broke that Tom and Ariana, 37, had called it quits after nine years together, People reported that Ariana learned about his affair during his band’s show at TomTom on March 1. While scrolling through his text messages, the reality star found “six months” worth of flirtatious notes between Tom and Raquel.
Meanwhile, Tom broke his silence about the scandal on March 4. “Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger [and] disappointment towards me, but please leave [Tom] Schwartz, my friends and family out of this situation,” he wrote via Instagram. “Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions. This was a very personal thing.”
He then noted that his business, Schwartz & Sandy’s, shouldn’t be held responsible for his actions. “Also, Schwartz & Sandy’s might have my name on it, but also there are 3 other partners and 20 employees, who especially rely on the restaurant for income for them and their families,” Tom added. “Just like TomTom, I’m a small part of a much bigger thing. Please direct ur anger towards me and not them. They did nothing wrong.”
After adding that he was taking a step back from work, Tom said he needed “some time to address everything else.”
The TV personality later apologized to Ariana in another statement on March 7. “I want to apologize to Ariana. I made mistakes, I was selfish, and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love,” he wrote via Instagram. “No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly. I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us.”
Tom noted that he felt “horrible” about the situation and that his “biggest regret was that I dishonored Ariana.”
“I never meant to disappoint so many people, including our loving families and friends. My love for Ariana was stronger than any camera could ever have captured. Some of our best times together were never filmed. The same goes for some of our biggest struggles,” Tom continued. “I wish things happened in a different order and our relationship was not severely tarnished, and that it ended with the same respect for her that it began with. I owed Ariana better.”
