Claims about who owns California's water are spreading online. Here's what to know.
Erroneous accusations that a wealthy couple, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, have been hoarding water amid the Southern California wildfires have been spreading widely online.
No, most of California’s water isn’t owned by one billionaire couple
The owners of Wonderful Co., behind Fiji Water and other brands, use a lot of water, but it's only a fraction of California’s usage. No one entity owns the water.
Billionaire Power Couple’s Control of California’s Water Amid Wildfire Crisis
In a secretive 1994 meeting known as the Monterey Amendments, the Resnicks acquired nearly 60% of the Kern Water Bank, a critical water storage facility originally built with hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars,
California billionaire couple accused of hoarding water amid LA wildfires. But is it true?
Stewart and Lynda Resnick, an ultra-wealthy couple from California, are being accused of hoarding water when it is needed to fight the wildfires in California. The Resnicks own the Los Angeles-based Wonderful Company — which claims to be one of the largest food producers in the world.
Does a billionaire couple own almost all the water in California? Here’s why that’s False.
The couple’s company has a majority stake in a water bank in the San Joaquin Valley and uses vast amounts of water to manage its nearly 130,000-acre California agriculture operation. But the claim that the Resnicks own nearly all — or even a large portion — of California’s water is a massive exaggeration.
No, Billionaire Couple Does Not 'Own Most of California's Water'
Since the beginning of the January 2025 fires around Los Angeles, claims circulated that one billionaire couple owned "most of California's water," with some people implying they were hoarding it from firefighting efforts.
Fresh Take: California’s Water Politics And A Major Misconception
Forbes' latest edition of its Fresh Take newsletter focuses on a misconception about water politics amid Los Angeles ...
Claims about a billionaire couple hurting efforts to fight the L.A. fires via their ‘control’ of the water supply are false
Because of agriculture’s heavy reliance on water, a critical resource in fighting wildfires, the Resnicks became the targets ...
Artnet2d
Who Are the Resnicks, the Art Collectors Accused of Hoarding California’s Water?
As wildfires continue to burn in L.A., art collectors Lynda and Stewart Resnick face criticism for their ownership of a ...
The Weeknd Joins Billionaires And Celebrities Donating To Los Angeles Fire Victims
From direct donations to auctions and a charity benefit concert—here's how celebrities and billionaire are helping victims of ...
Fresno Business Journal1d
Wonderful Company, beset by false rumors, gifts $10M toward LA wildfire relief
The Wonderful Company announced its commitment Wednesday of $10 million to wildfire relief efforts in Los Angeles. The donations will focus on providing real-time support to first responders— both ...
For LA water issues, misinformation spreads nearly as fast as the wildfires
False or misleading claims have emerged amid general criticism about California’s water management sparked by the fierce Los ...
Southern California's winds weakening; at least 25 dead, 26 missing amid wildfires
Fires across the Los Angeles area have killed at least 25 people. The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn in Southern ...
How Women Are Penalized For ‘Masculine Energy.’ Plus: Is The Glass Cliff A Myth?
Welcome to this week’s ForbesWomen newsletter, which every Thursday brings news about the world’s top female entrepreneurs, ...