Luigi Mangione admits killing UnitedHealthcare CEO
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Luigi Mangione, accused of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, attends a court hearing in New York, in May. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to stalking charges tied to the 2024 broad daylight killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.
Why it matters: Mangione's lawyers are now using Friday's federal plea to request that all but one separate state charge be dismissed.
- They claimed double jeopardy, a legal protection that prevents a person from being charged twice for the same offense, arguing that the weapons and murder counts against him should not move forward.
Driving the news: Mangione's trial over the two federal charges — interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death — was scheduled for January 2027. He had previously pleaded not guilty.
- During Friday's hearing, Judge Margaret Garnett told Mangione he will still be required to serve up to 85% of his sentence for the federal charges.
- "Today's guilty plea marks an important step toward justice for Brian and for our family," Thompson's family said in a statement, noting they "remain mindful that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves."
- While Mangione fights state charges, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said it remains committed to seeking justice for Thompson and is "prepared to litigate the defense motions."
"I shot Mr. Thompson," Mangione said during Friday's hearing, adding, "I knew what I was doing was illegal," per multiple reports.
- He described traveling to Manhattan ahead of the shooting, and seeking information about the conference Thompson was attending by posing as an investor. Mangione also described creating a gun with a 3D printer and attaching a silencer to it.
- Garnett accepted his guilty plea and scheduled Mangione's sentencing for December 18.
Catch up quick: Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson in midtown Manhattan in December 2024. The attack, which occurred outside a large hotel, sparked intense media coverage and a days-long manhunt for a suspect.
- Mangione was ultimately arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was charged with five counts unrelated to Thompson's killing.
- Mangione became something of an idolized figure online, as people frustrated with the state of U.S. health care and the insurance industry vented and praised him for taking action.
- Mangione's manifesto expressed his disdain for the health insurance industry, though he never appeared to be a UnitedHealthcare client.
Zoom out: Mangione is still facing a trial in New York state court next month, where he will face some of the most serious charges levied against him.
- Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all eight charges in New York; if convicted, he could face a life sentence.
- There is no death penalty in New York.
Go deeper: America obsesses over Luigi Mangione's digital footprint
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information throughout.
