Former NBA Star Chris Bosh Linked to Los Angeles Wildfire Retrial
Former NBA star Chris Bosh's Los Angeles mansion has been linked to the retrial of the accused Palisades wildfire arsonist, though Bosh faces no allegations of wrongdoing.
Former NBA star and Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Bosh has found his $11 million Pacific Palisades mansion unexpectedly linked to the ongoing retrial of Jonathan Rinderknecht, who is accused of starting the devastating wildfire that swept the Los Angeles area in January 2025.
According to legal filings cited by the New York Post, Rinderknecht's defense team is seeking to introduce testimony from Michael Cole, a former California fire department investigator. Cole reportedly claims to have found physical evidence indicating that fireworks were launched from the property's driveway and backyard patio.
Bosh's Response and Investigation
While Bosh owns the luxury estate, records indicate it was allegedly rented out to tenants at the time of the fire. Bosh is not suspected of any wrongdoing, has not been charged, and authorities have not suggested he had any knowledge of the alleged fireworks launch.
In a statement posted on social media, Chris Bosh and his wife Adrienne clarified: "We were not there on New Year's Eve 2024, nor were we there on New Year's Eve 2025. We were at our home in Austin, Texas. To our knowledge, the property was empty and not rented or used by guests during this period. We have assisted relevant authorities with security footage and available information."
Legal Battle Over Expert Testimony
Prosecutors are vehemently opposing the inclusion of Cole's testimony, arguing that he lacks the necessary expertise to identify fireworks residue. They contend his assessment is based entirely on six drone photographs showing a brown spot on the driveway, taken weeks after the incident, without any physical site inspection.
The defendant, 30-year-old Rinderknecht, is accused of igniting a small fire using a lighter on January 1, 2025. Prosecutors state the fire smoldered underground for six days before fierce Santa Ana winds reignited it into the catastrophic Palisades fire, which killed 12 people, destroyed over 6,800 structures, and consumed approximately 23,400 acres. Rinderknecht denies the charges, and his first trial ended in a hung jury in June 2026.
