Federal authorities on Wednesday announced the arrest of a Florida man they suspect deliberately started the Palisades fire, which tore across Los Angeles’ west side this year.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, allegedly conducted several incriminating searches on ChatGPT before and after starting the fire on New Year’s Day. He has been charged by the Department of Justice with “maliciously” starting the fire.
Using ChatGPT, Rinderknecht conjured an image of a city engulfed in flames, federal prosecutors claimed.
Prosecutors say that in one search after the fire had started, he asked, “Are you at fault if a fire is lift [sic] because of your cigarettes?”
Rinderknecht had been driving for Uber on New Year’s Eve, and passengers have said he was agitated, according to prosecutors. After finishing one fare in the Pacific Palisades, Rinderknecht started a fire on federal land with hiking trails, they allege.
He also called 911 and relocated to a vantage point where he watched firefighters and recorded video, according to an affidavit from an agent of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who investigated the case.
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“While we cannot undo the damage and destruction that was done, we hope his arrest and the charges against him bring some measure of justice to the victims of this horrific tragedy,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement announcing the arrest.
The initial fire allegedly lit by Rinderknecht appeared to have been extinguished but smoldered under vegetation and reignited Jan. 7. The fire ended up killing 12 people and burning 6,000 buildings.
The Los Angeles area was simultaneously beset by the Eaton fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed 9,400 structures.
The complaint includes other digital evidence that allegedly incriminates Rinderknecht. According to the affidavit, he had been watching the video to a French song called “Un Zder, Un The” by Josman in which the musician sets things on fire.
The affidavit also contained the prompt that Rinderknecht typed into ChatGPT on July 11, 2024, to generate the image of a burning city.
The request: “A dystopian painting divided in to distinct parts that blend together seamlessly. On the far left, there is a burning forest. Next to it, a crowd of people is running away from the fire, leading to the middle. In the middle, hundreds of thousands of people in poverty are trying to get past a gigantic gate with a big dollar sign on it. On the other side of the gate and the entire wall is a conglomerate of the richest people. They are chilling, watching the world burn down, and watching the people struggle. They are laughing, enjoying themselves, and dancing. The scene is detailed and impactful, highlighting the stark contrast and the direct connection between the different parts of the world.”