Jonathan Rinderknecht Held in Los Angeles on Federal Arson Charges in Deadly Palisades Fire

Jonathan Rinderknecht is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles pending a federal trial that prosecutors say stems from the initial ignition that later became the catastrophic Palisades Fire.

Allegations and Timeline

Federal prosecutors say Rinderknecht — also known as Jonathan Rinder or Jon Rinder — faces three federal counts: destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce, and setting timber afire. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, the charges relate to an ignition on Jan. 1, 2025, investigators call the Lachman Fire, which allegedly smoldered underground and later reemerged amid high winds on Jan. 7 to become the Palisades Fire. That wildfire burned more than 23,000 acres and killed 12 people.

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What Prosecutors Allege

Prosecutors say that after dropping off Uber passengers in Pacific Palisades on the night of Dec. 31, 2024, Rinderknecht drove to the Skull Rock Trailhead and hiked to a clearing known as Hidden Buddha. Investigators allege he recorded video there and listened to a rap music video that included scenes of fire.

Environmental sensing systems reportedly captured the first indication of the Lachman Fire at 12:12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2025. The criminal complaint states Rinderknecht attempted to call 911 at 12:12:31 a.m. but the calls initially did not connect, likely because he was out of cell range. He later connected and reported the fire, by which time a nearby resident had already alerted authorities.

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Prosecutors point to phone location data they say places Rinderknecht roughly 30 feet from where the blaze was growing, recordings of failed and later successful 911 calls, and a ChatGPT query he allegedly typed during the incident asking, 'Are you at fault if a fire is lift [sic] because of your cigarettes?' — to which the app reportedly replied 'Yes' followed by an explanation. A multiagency investigation concluded the Lachman Fire was ignited by an open flame, likely a lighter, applied to combustible material such as vegetation or paper.

Defense Response

Rinderknecht pleaded not guilty in an October 2025 federal arraignment. His attorney, Steve Haney, has strongly disputed the prosecution’s theory, calling the evidence insufficient and noting behavior that, he says, contradicts deliberate arson: repeated attempts to call 911, rushing down the hill to alert authorities, and waiting for firefighters to arrive. Haney has also suggested witnesses who reported a loud bang at midnight could indicate a firework ignition rather than a lighter-based arson.

Steve Haney, defense attorney: 'It is so illogical to believe somebody would intentionally start a fire, then call the fire department 15 times and meet them as they arrived. The evidence points to other possible causes, including fireworks.'

Next Steps

Prosecutors say Rinderknecht was arrested on Oct. 8, 2025, while staying at a relative’s home in Florida. He remains jailed in Los Angeles and is scheduled for trial on April 21, 2026. Both sides have signaled they will press their respective narratives: prosecutors relying on digital forensics and scene evidence, and the defense questioning the interpretation of that evidence and advancing alternative explanations.

Note: The allegations described here come from the criminal complaint and statements by federal prosecutors; Rinderknecht is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.