Ariana Madix Shuts Down Fan Theory That Paints Raquel in a Better Light

Not having it! Ariana Madix shut down claims that Raquel Leviss thought Tom Sandoval was in an open relationship at the beginning of their affair.

During part 1 of the Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion — which aired on Wednesday, May 24 — Scheana Shay alleged that she had heard from a mutual friend that Sandoval, 40, told Raquel, 28, that he and Ariana, 37, were not exclusive in April 2022.

The claim caused some fans to think that perhaps the former pageant queen didn’t realize she was doing anything wrong when she began her affair with the Schwartz & Sandy’s entrepreneur.

“Could it be that he manipulated Raquel the same way that Ariana has claimed he manipulated her for years,” one fan commented on Page Six’s Instagram post about Scheana’s allegation. “I mean why wouldn’t Raquel believe him if that’s what he told her. He was taking her on vacations, to meet his parents … ”

Ariana herself then replied to the fan, setting the record straight. “Just to clarify — she didn’t BELIEVE that,” she wrote. “She told someone that he told her that. There are missing major chunks here which is totally understandable. They can’t fit every piece of context into the show.”

Tom, for his part, denied ever telling Raquel he was in an open relationship in a clip from Peacock’s extended version of part 1 of the reunion after Scheana, 38, called him out.

“Raquel was told in the hot tub at Coachella — last April [2022] — by Sandoval that they were in an open relationship and he was coming onto her,” the “Good As Gold” singer claimed during the episode.

The TomTom cofounder shot back, “What are you talking about? That is bulls—t. I did not say that. She did not repeat that.”

Despite denying the allegation, the Missouri native previously admitted that his months-long affair with Raquel wasn’t his first indiscretion during his nine-year relationship with Ariana. (Us Weekly confirmed in March that the duo called it quits due to the infidelity scandal.)

During the Pump Rules season finale, Scheana asked Tom about his long-alleged hookup with “Miami Girl,” to which he replied, “Ariana has always known the truth about that.” The restaurateur repeatedly denied having sex with Annemarie Maldonado (née Kunkel), a.k.a. “Miami Girl,” at the beginning of his romance with Ariana during season 3 of Pump Rules.

The Something About Her entrepreneur, for her part, revealed why she kept her ex-boyfriend’s secret for so many years during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen earlier this month.

“They slept together, it was before he and I were exclusive,” she explained. “I didn’t want people to think the worst about the man I was planning to spend the rest of my life with.”

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Part 2 of the Vanderpump Rules season reunion airs on Bravo Wednesday, May 31, at 9 p.m. ET.