Indictment Adds Mail Fraud Counts in Bobby Salazar Case
A federal grand jury returned a six count felony indictment on Oct. 23, 2025 that adds four mail fraud charges to two existing arson counts in the case involving Fresno restaurateur Bobby Salazar. Prosecutors allege the 2024 fire that destroyed Bobby Salazar’s Mexican Restaurant on Blackstone Avenue was set so Salazar could collect more than $900,000 in insurance proceeds, a development that carries legal and economic implications for the local community.
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A federal grand jury in October expanded the legal case against Fresno restaurateur Bobby Salazar, returning a six count felony indictment on Oct. 23, 2025. The new filing adds four mail fraud counts to two previously filed arson counts, and links alleged insurance settlement payments sent through the mail to the case. Court filings say Salazar later received more than $900,000 in insurance proceeds after a 2024 fire destroyed his Bobby Salazar’s Mexican Restaurant on Blackstone Avenue.
Prosecutors allege the fire was intentionally set so Salazar could collect insurance money, and the indictment names two alleged accomplices, Thomas Qualls and Shylo Badiali. Reporting has linked Thomas Qualls to a Sanger motorcycle gang. The indictment accuses Salazar of paying the two alleged accomplices to torch the building. Salazar previously pleaded not guilty and remains free on a $1 million bond. The next federal hearing in the matter is scheduled for Nov. 17, 2025.
The expanded charges bring federal mail fraud statutes into a case that has already drawn intense local attention since the restaurant fire in 2024. The addition of mail fraud counts signals prosecutors believe they can show a pattern of using the postal system to execute or conceal an alleged fraudulent insurance scheme. Court filings flag the mailed insurance settlement checks as the basis for the new counts, and the filings state the total insurance proceeds exceeded $900,000.
For Fresno County residents the case has both practical and symbolic consequences. Bobby Salazar’s location on Blackstone Avenue served patrons and employed local workers prior to the fire. The loss of a long standing business interrupts household incomes and consumer options in the neighborhood, and drives a reconstruction and recovery process that can take months or years. From a broader economic perspective, large insurance payouts tied to alleged fraud can feed into higher premiums for small businesses and property owners if insurers adjust rates to offset losses.
The criminal proceedings will determine whether prosecutors can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the fire was deliberate and that the mail was used to further a fraudulent scheme. If convictions occur, they could result in significant sentences and restitution obligations, and they could influence how local insurers evaluate risk in commercial corridors.
As the case moves toward the Nov. 17 hearing, local stakeholders will be watching for clarity on evidence, timelines for any civil or insurance disputes, and the pathway to rebuilding the site. The outcome will matter for employees, business owners, insurers, and residents who rely on the economic activity that neighborhood restaurants generate.
