DOJ: Arson Suspect Used AI to Create Burning City Image
▼ Summary
– Federal authorities have arrested Jonathan Rinderknecht for allegedly starting the Palisades wildfire, which killed 12 people and burned thousands of acres.
– Evidence includes an AI-generated image of a burning city that Rinderknecht reportedly created using ChatGPT months before the fire.
– Investigators linked him to the crime through video surveillance, witness statements, and cellphone records placing him near the fire’s origin.
– The fire began as the Lachman Fire on January 1st, 2025, and grew into California’s third most destructive wildfire, destroying over 6,000 structures.
– Prosecutors allege Rinderknecht lit the fire after midnight, called 911 to report it, and asked ChatGPT about fault for a fire caused by cigarettes.
Federal authorities have apprehended a suspect linked to the devastating Palisades wildfire, a tragedy that claimed twelve lives and scorched thousands of acres across California. A key piece of evidence presented by prosecutors is an AI-generated image of a burning city, which the individual allegedly created using ChatGPT months prior to the blaze.
The Department of Justice announced charges against 29-year-old Florida resident Jonathan Rinderknecht, accusing him of deliberately igniting what later became known as the Palisades Fire. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli detailed the case, pointing to a combination of video surveillance footage, witness testimonies, and cellphone location data that allegedly place Rinderknecht at the fire’s origin point. Essayli specifically highlighted a ChatGPT prompt the suspect reportedly used, requesting a “dystopian painting showing in part a burning forest and a crowd fleeing from it.”
Investigators connected Rinderknecht to the Lachman Fire, which first erupted on January 1st, 2025. Fire crews initially contained the flames, but the fire later rekindled with tremendous force, growing into the historic Palisades wildfire. This catastrophic event ranks as the third most destructive wildfire in California’s history, devastating over 23,000 acres and obliterating more than 6,000 structures across the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu regions.
According to the criminal complaint, Rinderknecht was residing in the Pacific Palisades area at the time. Prosecutors state that on New Year’s Eve, he dropped off a rideshare passenger before parking his vehicle near a trailhead known as Skull Rock. He then allegedly proceeded on foot along the trail, recording video with his iPhone. The Los Angeles Times reviewed documents indicating he listened to a specific French rap song, “Un Zder, Un The,” whose official music video depicts an individual setting a trash can ablaze.
The complaint further alleges that Rinderknecht lit the fire just after midnight on January 1st and subsequently placed a 911 call to report the emergency. During that call, prosecutors claim he queried ChatGPT with the question, “Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes,” according to reports from the LA Times.
(Source: The Verge)
