Oct 15, 2025 - Science

Palisades Fire suspect indicted, faces fresh charges

Rebecca Falconer

Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a building, with a Sunset Boulevard sign and traffic lights outside amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. — Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a building on Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful windstorm on January 8, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Photo: Apu Gomes/Getty Images

The Florida man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire, one of California's most destructive blazes, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday.

The big picture: Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, who was originally charged with destruction of property by fire over the blaze that erupted during powerful Santa Ana winds in the Los Angeles area in January and led to the death of 12 people, faced two additional charges in the indictment.

The former Palisades resident now also faces one count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and one count of timber set afire.
Prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht, who's also known as "Jonathan Rinder," and "Jon Rinder," used ChatGPT before and after setting the fire and that he had created an image of a burning forest with crowds fleeing.

What we're watching: If convicted, Rinderknecht faces up to 45 years in federal prison, per a Department of Justice statement.

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Palisades Fire suspect indicted, faces fresh charges

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