Why Blue Bloods Star Tom Selleck Was Sued In 2015
Adored actor Tom Selleck has famously portrayed New York City Police Commissioner Francis Xavier "Frank" Reagan on the television series "Blue Bloods" since its debut in 2010. As Selleck played the principled leader who often finds himself navigating professional and personal complexities, the Hollywood star found himself in some real-life legal drama, which began in 2013.
As California battled a drought, Selleck and his wife Jillie, whom he's been married to since 1987, were accused of illegally obtaining water from a Thousand Oaks fire hydrant and transporting it to their Hidden Valley ranch. In September 2013, after a water tender, reportedly under the direction of Selleck, was observed taking water from the hydrant up to eight times in a single week, the Calleguas Municipal Water District in Ventura County issued a cease and desist letter. When this did not work, Selleck was hit with legal action in a civil suit that was resolved quickly with a hefty payout.
Selleck was sued two years after the alleged water usage began
The California drought began in 2012 and ended in 2016, leaving residents and farmlands at risk. Tom Selleck, who owns a 65-acre avocado farm, allegedly found a solution to protecting his crops by using fire hydrant water, and the Calleguas Municipal Water District in Ventura County hired a private investigator to prove it. This resulted in a July 2015 lawsuit against Selleck. According to water officials, the company summoned to take the water paid for it, though it broke the law by transporting it to another district. That company did not face any legal action for its role in the water scheme.
Luckily, no criminal charges were filed against Selleck on top of his civil case. Still, that does not mean he was in the clear. Instead of going through a lengthy court battle, Selleck decided to pay a five-figure settlement to the Calleguas Municipal Water District, putting the matter to rest.
Selleck settled the suit with an over $20,000
Tom Selleck forked over $21,685.55 to the Calleguas Municipal Water District in July 2015, the same month that the civil case was filed. Selleck has not commented publicly on his case, but the board quickly accepted his settlement. It's unknown how Selleck continued providing water to his farm, but as "Blue Bloods" comes to an end following the forthcoming season 14, Selleck plans on spending more time on his ranch.
Selleck reportedly earns $200,000 per episode of "Blue Bloods." The Hollywood A-lister, who has starred in the 1980s show "Magnum, P.I.," and the "Jesse Jones" TV movie franchise, has a reported net worth of $45 million. Therefore, it's unlikely that the 2015 lawsuit was a big blow to his bank account. It's unknown how Selleck continued providing water to his farm after his lawsuit, but it doesn't appear that his farm or avocados suffered in any way.