The arrest comes months after the massive blaze that tore through Los Angeles, destroying more than 6,000 structures and claiming multiple lives.
What began as a calm New Year’s Day quickly spiraled into a nightmare for thousands of residents. Now, months later, federal agents have made a stunning arrest: Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old former Uber driver from Florida, has been accused of deliberately starting the deadly Palisades Fire
The suspected arsonist, a former resident of Pacific Palisades, is now at the heart of a high-profile federal case — one entangled with unsettling behavior, disturbing uses of AI, and a chilling web of deception.
Rinderknecht — who is also known by the names “Jonathan Rinder” and “Jon Rinder” — was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with using fire to destroy property. Currently residing in Melbourne, Florida, he is set to make his first court appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
According to prosecutors, Rinderknecht deliberately ignited a small, smoldering fire near the Skull Rock Trailhead shortly after midnight on New Year’s Day 2025. That blaze — later named the Lachman Fire — burned unnoticed underground for several days before erupting into the massive and deadly Palisades Fire, driven by powerful Santa Ana winds.