Cameras were not allowed in federal court Wednesday afternoon as Fresno business owner Robert “Bobby” Salazar made his first court appearance following his arrest Tuesday.
Salazar faces arson and fraud charges after allegedly hiring a motorcycle club member to set fire to the Bobby Salazar’s restaurant on Blackstone Avenue in exchange for a $980,000 insurance payout, according to court documents.
“Mr. Salazar had apparently rented the location out to someone else. That tenant wasn’t able to keep the business open, so he took it back over at the end of 2023,” legal analyst Roger Bonakdar said. “In 2024, he takes possession of the property, re-ups the insurance policy and even adds coverage for loss of rental income, even though the property wasn’t rented. He claims he was using it for storage, according to the complaint. Yet about four months later, the building burns down.”…