Federal authorities announced Wednesday that a Florida man has been arrested in connection with the devastating Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area.
The suspect, 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht, also known as Jonathan Rinder, was taken into custody at his home in Melbourne, Florida, on Tuesday, officials said at a press conference. He made his first court appearance in Orlando on Wednesday.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox News, Rinderknecht is accused of starting the Lachman Fire just after midnight on New Year’s Day — a blaze that later reignited underground and became the deadly Palisades Fire.
The complaint alleges he “maliciously damaged and destroyed, by means of fire, specifically, the fire known as the Lachman Fire and Palisades Fire.”
Authorities said the initial fire was quickly contained but continued burning beneath the surface until strong winds sparked the massive wildfire that tore through Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu.
Investigators said Rinderknecht, who worked as an Uber driver, appeared “agitated and angry” on the night of the fire, according to two passengers he had just dropped off. Officials said he allegedly used an “open flame” to ignite the blaze near his own neighborhood.
An Uber spokesperson told Fox News Digital the company “partnered closely with the ATF to determine the driver’s whereabouts on and around Jan. 1,” confirming that “GPS data placed him near the location of the start of the Lachman fire on Jan. 1.”
Uber said Rinderknecht’s access to the platform was immediately revoked once his suspected involvement became known. The company emphasized that all drivers “must pass a state-mandated background check in order to drive with Uber and are rescreened annually.”
According to the complaint, Rinderknecht told investigators he grew up in France and often played French rap songs while driving. One track he played — “Un Zder, Un The” by artist Josman — features imagery of fire in its music video.
Prosecutors also claim he used ChatGPT to generate images of a “dystopian painting” showing a city on fire with “hundreds of thousands of people in poverty trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it.”
Rinderknecht faces a felony charge of destruction of property by means of fire, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said.
The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,800 buildings, leaving much of the Pacific Palisades and Malibu communities in ruins. Many residents are only now beginning to rebuild their homes and livelihoods.
