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Man Charged with Starting Deadly $150B Palisades Fire
The New York Post reported federal prosecutors say 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht “maliciously” ignited the Palisades Fire — the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles history. Authorities allege Rinderknecht started a small brush fire near a Pacific Palisades hiking trail just after midnight on January 1, 2025, moments after dropping off passengers. The blaze smoldered underground before erupting into an inferno that killed 12 people and caused an estimated $150 billion in damages.
Fox News reported, “Prosecutors also allege Rinderknecht used ChatGPT to create images of a ‘dystopian painting’ of a city being burned on one side while ‘hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it.’”
Court filings say Rinderknecht filmed the fire, called 911, and even searched ChatGPT asking if cigarettes could cause fires. Evidence on his phone, including videos and prompts, linked him to the arson. Arrested in Florida, Rinderknecht faces federal charges that could carry the death penalty if convicted.
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