The man accused of igniting the devastating California Palisades Fire is now facing up to 45 years in prison after a federal grand jury added two more felony charges to his case.
According to an Oct. 15 filing from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, who was already charged with destruction of property by means of fire, now faces an additional count of arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and one count of timber set afire.
Rinderknecht, also known as “Jonathan Rinder” and “Jon Rinder,” had previously faced a possible 20-year sentence. The new charges increase that potential to 45 years behind bars, with a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison.
Per the indictment, Rinderknecht has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Oct. 7. His next court appearance — an arraignment — will take place in the coming weeks at the United States District Court in Los Angeles.
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Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed the arrest on X, writing that Rinderknecht, an Uber driver, allegedly started a blaze in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on New Year’s Day — a fire that “eventually turned into one of the most destructive fires in Los Angeles history, causing death and widespread destruction.”
Essayli also claimed investigators recovered an image from Rinderknecht’s digital devices “depicting a burning city,” which he had allegedly generated on ChatGPT.
According to the indictment, on the evening of December 31, 2024, two of Rinderknecht’s Uber passengers told authorities that he appeared “agitated and angry.” After dropping one passenger off in the Pacific Palisades area — where he once lived — Rinderknecht allegedly parked near Skull Rock Trailhead.
At 12:12 a.m. on January 1, 2025, environmental sensors detected the start of the Lachman Fire. After calling 911, Rinderknecht reportedly fled the scene before returning later to watch the blaze and firefighters in action. The indictment claims he also recorded videos of the fire on his iPhone.
When questioned by police on January 24, 2025, Rinderknecht allegedly said he had been at the bottom of a hiking trail when he noticed the fire and called 911. However, investigators say his cell phone data placed him within 30 feet of the flames as they grew
Investigators later determined that the Palisades Fire was a continuation — or “holdover” — of the earlier Lachman Fire, which Rinderknecht is accused of starting. Although firefighters initially extinguished the flames, the fire continued smoldering underground in the dense root systems of the area’s vegetation.
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A week later, on January 7, 2025, heavy winds reignited the underground embers, creating the Palisades Fire, which quickly spread through the Pacific Palisades community.
The wildfire destroyed over 23,000 acres and claimed the lives of 12 people, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the United States Forest Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark A. Williams, Matthew W. O’Brien, and Danbee C. Kim of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section, along with Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
