California Arson Suspect Allegedly Likens Himself to Luigi Mangione

Federal and state prosecutors announced charges Friday against a 29-year-old man. He is accused of starting fires that destroyed a major paper distribution warehouse.

Suspect and formal charges

The suspect is identified as Chamel Abdulkarim of Highland, California. Federal authorities charged him with arson of a building used in interstate and foreign commerce.

Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney, spoke at a Friday news conference. The federal count carries a five-year mandatory minimum and up to 20 years in prison.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson filed state charges. They include one count of aggravated arson and six additional arson counts.

The aggravated arson charge alleges special circumstances because damage exceeded $10.1 million. That state count carries a penalty of 10 years to life.

Alleged acts at the warehouse

Authorities say Abdulkarim intentionally set multiple fires on Tuesday morning. The blazes occurred inside a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution facility in Ontario, California.

The warehouse was used to store Kimberly-Clark Corp. paper goods. Abdulkarim is accused of working for NFI Industries, a third-party distribution contractor.

Prosecutors say he filmed himself igniting pallets with a lighter. He then posted videos to his Instagram account, officials reported.

Alleged motive and statements

Officials say the suspect expressed hostility toward corporations and capitalism. He allegedly told others they were not being paid enough and demanded fairer wages.

Investigators say he sent a text to a co-worker about an hour after the fires. The message criticized corporate pay practices and urged recognition of workers’ value.

In a phone call, he reportedly compared himself to Luigi Mangione. Headlines have highlighted the case with phrases such as California Arson Suspect Allegedly Likens Himself to Luigi Mangione.

Damage, safety and next steps

Initial estimates valued the warehouse inventory at roughly $500 million. The building itself was estimated at about $150 million in value.

There were at least 20 people inside the distribution center when the fires began. No injuries have been reported.

Abdulkarim was expected to be arraigned on the state charges on Friday. Filmogaz.com will continue to follow court proceedings and investigative updates.