Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules are in the midst of some legal trouble with Alison Baker, over their book, "Fancy AF Cocktails."
Fans first met Tom when he joined Vanderpump Rules season one. Ariana joined the Bravo reality series the following year, for season two. Tom began the show while he was in a relationship with former cast member Kristen Doute, but the pair broke up after a year of dating. Shortly after his breakup with Kristen, he began a relationship with Ariana. Six years later, the couple is still going strong.
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, the reality stars are being accused of breach of contract by a writer named Alison Baker. The documents claim that Alison met Ariana in February 2016. Alison and Ariana began discussing co-writing the cocktails book together, from Ariana's point of view. Alison also stated in the documents that she entered into an agreement to co-write with Ariana the following month, in exchange for an initial fee of $3,000 (as well as a 45% advance payment by any publisher who published the book based on the concept they came up with). Allegedly, Alison was also supposed to receive 45% of “actual earned royalties on sales of such book in perpetuity” and get a co-writer credit on the cover. She then added that Tom Sandoval forced himself into the book project, and convinced Ariana to write a book with him instead, based on the original concept.
After Alison got word of Tom wanting in on the book as well, she allegedly drafted a new agreement that included Ariana and Tom. The couple would have to agree to “share any revenue from this separate endeavor in equal thirds.” The reality couple then sent back a revised agreement stating that they weren't “prepared to contribute the level of work necessary to complete the task of successfully writing and self-publishing a book.” Tom and Ariana did not continue with the book with Alison. Instead. they wrote their own book.
When Alison learned about the book in August 2018, she found that it “incorporates many of the proprietary rights” she worked on with Ariana Madix from VPR, which resulted in the alleged breach of contract. She claims that the release of the book is “willful, malicious, and fraudulent” and is seeking damages (and attorney fees) from the couple. She is also asking that they account for all the money and benefits they have received from the sale of the book, now and in the future. She is asking for an amount for specific damages, which will be decided upon in trial. It looks like Tom and Ariana may now need their Vanderpump Rules checks more than ever.
