Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty Friday to federal charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, admitting he shot the executive on a Manhattan street in December 2024. The plea comes as Mangione faces a potential life sentence and just weeks before jury selection was to begin in his state murder case.
Mangione, 28, confessed to shooting Thompson, 50, and expressed understanding that his actions would place the victim in fear of death or serious bodily injury. He stated, “I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died.” Thompson's widow was present in the courtroom during the proceedings.
Prosecutors stated that Mangione targeted Thompson due to grievances with the healthcare industry. He detailed how he constructed a 3D-printed gun, fitted it with a silencer, and used a ruse to discover the location of UnitedHealthcare's annual investor conference in New York City. He admitted to posing as an investor managing $50 billion in assets to obtain details about the conference.
The Manhattan US Attorney's Office announced it would seek a life sentence for Mangione. U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald stated that Mangione attempted to send a message through violence but that the outcome demonstrates that violence is not a legitimate tool for advancing political or social messages.
Mangione's plea resolves federal charges of interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death. An earlier federal murder charge, which carried the possibility of the death penalty, was dismissed earlier this year.
The status of the state case, where Mangione is charged with second-degree murder and illegal weapons possession, remains unclear. His defense team has filed a motion to dismiss the state charges, citing double jeopardy, as they argue he cannot be tried twice for the same crime. The Manhattan District Attorney's office stated it is prepared to litigate these motions and remains committed to seeking justice for Thompson and his family.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett cautioned Mangione that any state sentence could be served consecutively to his federal sentence, and he faces life in prison on the state charges as well.
Mangione, who reportedly underwent back surgery in mid-2023 and traveled to Asia before his arrest, had his family file a missing person report for him in November 2024, the month before the killing. He was apprehended on December 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors revealed that Mangione penned a "manifesto" detailing his motive to kill Thompson as a protest against the healthcare insurance industry, which he described as a "deadly, greed-fueled health insurance cartel." Bullet casings found at the scene reportedly had the words "delay" and "deny" etched onto them, references to alleged insurer tactics.
In a statement, Thompson's family called the guilty plea an important step toward justice and expressed gratitude that the person responsible has been held accountable. They are now looking to the court to ensure the sentencing reflects the severity of the crime.