Chamel Abdulkarim, a 29-year-old Highland, California resident, has been charged with arson in connection with a massive fire at a 1.2-million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark warehouse in Ontario. Authorities allege Abdulkarim, an employee of NFI Industries—a third-party distributor for Kimberly-Clark—intentionally set multiple fires at the facility on Tuesday, causing an estimated $500 million in damages to paper products and $150 million in structural damage.
Abdulkarim faces federal charges of arson of a building used in interstate commerce, carrying a mandatory minimum five-year prison sentence and up to 20 years. State charges include one count of aggravated arson and six counts of arson of a structure, with penalties ranging from 10 years to life. Prosecutors say Abdulkarim filmed himself starting the fires and posted the video to Instagram, where he is heard criticizing low wages.
Authorities also revealed Abdulkarim compared himself to Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the murder of a UnitedHealthcare CEO, in communications with a coworker. The fire, which began shortly after 12:30 a.m., involved 20 other workers but resulted in no injuries. Investigators are reviewing social media footage and evidence collected from Abdulkarim’s home.
Kimberly-Clark confirmed the warehouse was leased and operated by NFI Industries, with no company employees present during the incident. NFI Industries declined to comment while the investigation is ongoing.