Accused arsonist Chamel Abdulkarim likened himself to Luigi Mangione in call about warehouse inferno

A Southern California man, accused of intentionally setting a fire at a 1.2-million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark warehouse in San Bernardino County, compared himself to alleged corporate healthcare assassin Luigi Mangione, according to police.

Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, from Highland, is facing seven state-level felony arson charges for allegedly starting the six-alarm fire that destroyed the large paper goods warehouse in Ontario on Tuesday.

In addition to these charges, Abdulkarim is facing a federal charge for “arson of a building used in interstate and foreign commerce” due to the devastating blaze.

Charging documents reveal Abdulkarim made a call to a woman he knew after the fire, where he likened himself to Mangione.

During the call, Abdulkarim reportedly said, “a lot of people are going to understand” what he did, comparing the arson to when “Luigi popped that motherf—ker.”

He also allegedly claimed the warehouse company “had it coming” and boasted, “I just cost the mother—kers billions.”

Los Angeles’ top federal prosecutor stated to the Post on Friday that Abdulkarim, a disgruntled worker, was inspired by a radical left-wing ideology partly influenced by Mangione, the suspect in the 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.

“This is an alarming trend where we’re seeing far less far left political activists resorting to violence to advance their ideology,” said Essayli.

Mangione became a symbol for some in extreme left-wing circles after allegedly assassinating a leading insurance executive, motivated by his intense disdain for the U.S. health insurance industry, which he described as a “deadly, greed-fueled” cartel in his diary.

Charging documents indicate that Abdulkarim drew comparisons to Mangione in a call made to a woman he knew post-fire.

Essayli highlighted that a video posted on social media, allegedly showing Abdulkarim starting the fire, provided insight into his motives for the arson.

In the video, Abdulkarim can reportedly be heard chanting, “all you had to do was pay us enough to live.”

“This is part of the concerning trend we’re seeing, particularly with younger people who are being radicalized by left wing ideology,” said Essayli.

“They feel really emboldened or justified in resorting to violence to communicate their political viewpoints,” Essayli added.

Essayli stated that the fire’s cost is estimated at $500 million, including the value of the goods and the building itself, which alone was valued at approximately $152 million.

If convicted, Abdulkarim could face life in prison.

Police arrested Abdulkarim on Tuesday near the Kimberly Clark warehouse while the massive fire was still burning.

Investigators reported that around 20 employees, including Abdulkarim, were inside the building when the fire began.

Abdulkarim was initially missing but was quickly apprehended by police, according to sources.

He is currently being held at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, with arraignment scheduled for next week.

In 2024, Abdulkarim filed a class-action lawsuit against a previous employer over break times and lost pay, winning a settlement in that case last year.

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