Overview
- Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, pleaded not guilty Monday to seven state arson counts in San Bernardino County and remains jailed without bail ahead of a May 6 hearing.
- He also faces a federal arson complaint filed by the Justice Department after an FBI and ATF probe, which could carry up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
- Investigators say a social‑media video shows pallets of toilet paper being lit as a voice complains about low pay, with alleged texts boasting, “I just cost these [expletive] billions,” and a comparison to accused killer Luigi Mangione.
- The six‑alarm fire early Tuesday destroyed the 1.2‑million‑square‑foot Kimberly‑Clark distribution hub, forced 175 firefighters into defensive tactics, collapsed the roof, and left about 20 workers safe after an evacuation.
- Federal officials said they will let the state case proceed first before advancing their own charge, while Kimberly‑Clark plans to detail the financial impact during its April 28 quarterly update.