Sandoval and his longtime girlfriend broke up Friday following claims that he reportedly cheated on her with a castmate.
Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval is speaking out following his breakup with longtime girlfriend and co-star Ariana Madix. Sandoval took to Instagram Saturday to address the news and the backlash he's received amid allegations that he cheated on Madix with co-star Raquel Leviss.
"Hey, I fully understand and deserve ur anger and disappointment towards me, but please leave Schwartz my friends and family out of this situation…," Sandoval, wrote asking for fans to leave his best friend and business partner, Tom Schwartz, out of the drama. "Schwartz specifically only found out about this very recently, and most definitely did not condone my actions."
"This was a very personal thing," Sandoval maintained.
The 39-year-old reality star also urged fans to leave his bar, Schwartz and Sandy's out of it, and stressed that his business partners and employees have done "nothing wrong."
"I'm so sorry that my partners, Greg, Brett, and Schwartz and our employees have to suffer for my actions," he wrote before signing off. "I will be taking a step back & taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees & partners. I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything."
On their official Instagram page, Schwartz and Sandy's also posted a message on Saturday asking fans to step back. "In light of the recent news we appreciate the many words of support but we also understand the outpouring of outrage that has been directed towards our business," their post read. "However, those of us who are not famous have dedicated our time, hearts and money to make this restaurant a reality."
The post included kind words for Madix. "We too are disappointed by the current situation, as Ariana has always been a good friend and a great supporter of the restaurant," it read.
"We appreciate that you may feel a certain way, but please understand that the livelihoods of others also depend on this business," the message noted. "There are far more people involved in this venue other than just Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz. Our staff, from the waitresses and bartenders to the cooks and dishwashers, all have had nothing to do with this unfortunate situation. Please take into consideration, that point negative comments affects more than just the individual you may be upset with."
"Our goal has always been to create a place where our community can come and enjoy a fun atmosphere with good food and friendly service and we intend to continue to focus on that endeavor," the statement concluded.
The posts come after on Friday night, Sandoval was showered with a chorus of "cheater!" chants when his band -- Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras -- hit the stage to perform at City National Grove in Anaheim, California.
According to an Instagram Live session that was later re-shared on social media, Sandoval had just finished performing a song when a group started chanting "Cheater! Cheater!"
Sandoval, wearing black shimmery pants and a black muscle shirt, seemed unphased at first, but then another person in the crowd shouted, "Ariana!" and that really got his attention, as he immediately responded with, "We love her."
According to Us Weekly, Sandoval seemingly addressed the breakup, when he took the mic and asked the crowd, "Have you ever been one of the most hated people in America?"
Madix and co-star Scheana Shay, meanwhile, hit up the famed Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles for a Tove Lo concert. Shay took to her Instagram Story and posted video of the outing and she added the text "We rally" to the video.
A source close to production confirmed to ET on Friday that cameras are back up and rolling as the drama plays out, with plans to include the fallout of the breakup in season 10, which is currently airing on Bravo. Sandoval and Madix had been together since 2013, when she first joined the show.
TMZ, which first broke the story, reported that the breakup stems from cheating allegations against Tom, who reportedly hooked up with Leviss. Fans of the hit Bravo show will remember she also was rumored to have hooked up with Schwartz.
"Some cast members had suspicions that something went down with Sandoval and Raquel while filming, and are considering the split [as] confirmation," a source told ET over the weekend.
Another source told ET, "Tom and Raquel’s incident has created a major split in the group with almost everyone against Tom and Raquel. The group feels like Tom has been going through some sort of midlife crisis, with the creation of his band and acting out at times. The girls are rallying around Ariana, but know in time she’ll be OK."
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