Was Fresno restaurateur a serial arsonist? Feds’ complaint details ‘modus operandi’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Federal prosecutors allege Bobby Salazar used arson to target legal adversaries.
- ATF links multiple 2020–2021 fire incidents to Salazar's business disputes.
- One arson targeted a struggling restaurant insured shortly before the fire.
In Fresno’s restaurant scene, Bobby Salazar made a name for himself as the king of Mexican food party platters, casual dining and salsas. But when it came to settling a score. He fought with fire, according to court records.
The 63-year-old Salazar is facing arson charges in federal court after prosecutors allege he hired a motorcycle gang member to burn down one of his struggling restaurants in central Fresno. If found guilty, Salazar faces a minimum of five years in prison and maximum of 20 for commercial arson. He also faces 10 years in prison for arson in furtherance of a felony.
In an 18-page criminal complaint, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was Salazar’s “modus operandi” to use fire to solve business problems.
ATF links other arson fires to Bobby Salazar
The complaint ties several arson fires to Salazar that involved disputes with former employees who were suing him, against an attorney representing one of his former employees and even against his ex-brother-in-law.
“Salazar has boasted about being willing to use fire to carry out criminal ends, and the means used in the brother-in-law’s fire are the same means as were used in one of the fires in the employee litigation arson series, I believe the totality of the circumstances show that Salazar is responsible for those fires,” wrote ATF special agent Kristin E. Loeffler.
In February 2020, Salazar was sued by a former employee for wrongful termination after Salazar accused him of selling drugs at one of his restaurants. Salazar owns two restaurants in Fresno; the others are franchised.
Salazar is alleged to have offered the fired employee $20,000 to not sue him, but the employee refused. Frustrated that he could not get the former employee to comply, Salazar then asked another employee to lie and back up his accusation that the former co-worker was dealing drugs.
The second employee also refused to go along with Salazar’s request. Several days later, her car was doused with gasoline and lit on fire, according to the complaint.
In the summer of 2020, Salazar’s former brother-in-law told investigators someone set his house on fire with a Molotov cocktail. The former brother-in-law suspected Salazar was behind it. A few nights prior to the fire, he saw Salazar drive down his street. And soon after the arson attack, the brother-in-law got a call from Salazar who is alleged to have said, “looks like somebody got you.”
Fire at restaurant included $1 million insurance payment
But the fiery retribution didn’t stop there.
In August 2020, the office of the Fresno attorney who represented several Salazar employees was firebombed.
And nearly a year later, on June 23, 2021 at 1:30 a.m., a third employee, who was suing Salazar, was targeted. Three of his cars were destroyed by arson fire.
The last fire linked to Salazar is his former restaurant at 2839 N. Blackstone Ave., a once popular neighborhood hangout. It was being run by a franchisee and reportedly was not performing well. It closed in January 2024. But one month prior Salazar increased the coverage of the insurance by $102,000.
Salazar would collect nearly a $1 million insurance payment.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 10:06 AM with the headline "Was Fresno restaurateur a serial arsonist? Feds’ complaint details ‘modus operandi’."
