I think majority of the posters here are being too harsh to Richie, and a minority to Jon as well.

Nobody is aware of the real reasons for his sudden departure. And it seems very unlikely that we ever will find out, especially given his current statements. He is obviously being diplomatic and not trying to cast a negative impression on Jon and the band. There is every chance that he could have been justified in leaving the tour the way he did; and an equal chance that he was at fault. But declaring him guilty based on gossip and assumptions is not justified. Let's not forget how he finished the HAND tour despite a broken arm and his personal issues at that time. So I would give him the benefit of doubt before questioning his commitment.

This matter has not been handled properly by both sides, especially by Jon because he is the CEO. His frustration may have been very genuine, but he could certainly have dealt with it in a better manner. Similarly, Richie should not have allowed Sean Borg & co. to create even a vague impression that they were representing him.

In my opinion, the band management did not do a good job at all. It was their responsibility to keep the fans informed and appease them. It reflects poorly on them that they stopped making any announcements about Richie not being on upcoming legs of the tour either. But their silence appears like a deliberate attempt to shift the entire blame on Richie and try to maximize ticket sales by keeping this situation vague. Even if it were not their intention, it appears this way.