Overview

• Federal authorities identified the suspect as Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old originally from Pacific Palisades who had recently moved to Florida.
• Prosecutors allege he set a small fire just after midnight on January 1 on Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority land while working as an Uber driver.
• Investigators say the New Year’s Day blaze appeared contained but smoldered underground and reignited on January 7, fueling the larger Palisades fire that reached Malibu and destroyed about 6,800 structures.
• Evidence cited includes videos he filmed on the hillside, AI-generated images depicting cities destroyed by fire, and what prosecutors describe as false statements to investigators.
• The ATF-led probe lasted nine months, and officials say arson carries five to 20 years in federal prison, with potential life imprisonment or the federal death penalty if deaths are charged.