
Federal prosecutors say the man accused of starting the deadly Palisades Fire in Los Angeles had become fixated on Luigi Mangione, the man accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and was driven in part by resentment toward wealthy people.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges accusing him of sparking the fire that began Jan. 1, 2025, and later reignited into the catastrophic Palisades Fire, which killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Pacific Palisades and Malibu. His trial is scheduled to begin June 8, according to The Associated Press.