Mangione Expected to Plead Guilty in Federal Court for UnitedHealthCare CEO Assassination
Luigi Mangione, the 28-year-old Ivy League graduate accused of assassinating UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to plead guilty in federal court on Friday. This decision comes as Mangione was weeks away from going on trial in a separate case in state court.
The shooting occurred on December 4, 2024, outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Surveillance footage captured the moment the shooter brazenly sneaks up behind Thompson and fires several shots from a ghost gun, killing the healthcare executive.
Prosecutors say Mangione had planned Thompson's assassination as early as August 15, 2024, citing handwritten pages in his notebook that express hostility towards the health insurance industry and wealthy executives. The notebook allegedly contained notes on how to evade capture and thousands of dollars in cash.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has stated it will lobby for a stiff sentence should Mangione's plea deal be approved, arguing that a federal guilty plea could defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution.