LA Fires
Oct. 9, 2025
Federal arson charge supports Palisades Fire victims' civil lawsuit
Federal prosecutors charged a man with arson in the Palisades Fire, but victims' attorneys say the criminal case confirms their causation theory and leaves civil claims against LADWP and the state unchanged.
In the wake of the U.S. Justice Department's announcement Wednesday that accused a Florida man of intentionally starting this year's Palisades Fire, attorneys leading related civil lawsuits for victims said the criminal case validates their causation theory and does not alter the course of the civil proceedings.
During a news conference, Acting U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli unsealed a federal complaint charging former Palisades resident Jonathan Rinderknecht with one coun...
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