Using his AI-related activities, federal prosecutors was able to gather evidence against a man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of Los Angeles’ most destructive wildfires.
The January blaze killed 12 people, destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, and burned over 23,000 acres before being contained on 31 January.
Authorities allege Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, of Florida, set off a smaller blaze known as the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Day 2025 in Pacific Palisades. The fire smoldered for a week before reigniting under heavy winds and growing into the Palisades Fire.
He was arrested last 7 October near his home and charged with destruction of property by means of fire, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Court documents show investigators reviewed Rinderknecht’s ChatGPT activity and AI-generated imagery from months before the fire.
On 11 July 2024, he allegedly asked the chatbot to produce a detailed image showing a burning forest, people fleeing in poverty, and wealthy figures watching from behind a wall marked with a dollar sign. The prompt read:
"A dystopian painting divided into 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."Investigators said the resulting image had a "cartoony vibe" common to AI-generated art at the time.
In another ChatGPT exchange on 1 November 2024, prosecutors allege Rinderknecht wrote, "I literally burnt the Bible that I had. It felt amazing. I felt so liberated." Officials did not claim these conversations directly led to the fire but included them in the criminal complaint as evidence of his mindset.
Authorities said Rinderknecht, who previously lived in Pacific Palisades, had been working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve before heading toward the Skull Rock Trailhead.
Two passengers he picked up that night told investigators he appeared "agitated and angry," according to the complaint.
After his final drop-off, he allegedly walked up the trail, took photos and videos from the hilltop, and at 12:12 am, sensors detected a fire in the same area.
He tried several times to call 911 but couldn’t connect due to poor reception. When he finally reached an operator, the fire had already been reported by a nearby resident.
Authorities said he then left the scene but later followed fire trucks and recorded video of firefighters responding.
Uber confirmed that Rinderknecht was immediately removed from its platform once the company learned of his involvement and is cooperating with authorities.
He remains in custody in Florida and will be extradited to California to face prosecution.
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