Luigi Mangione is now facing federal charges related to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, along with state charges in both New York and Pennsylvania, according to a source from the Justice Department.
Sources indicate that federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are set to announce these new charges on Thursday, December 19. However, they did not disclose the specific charges Mangione will face.
This development follows Mangione’s decision to waive his extradition hearing in Pennsylvania, allowing his transfer to the New York City Police Department. He is expected to return to Manhattan to respond to first-degree murder charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney. Additionally, a judge has scheduled Mangione to appear in court in Pennsylvania on February 24 to address state weapons and forgery charges.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, did not comment immediately regarding the situation. In a statement to ABC News, she expressed concerns about the federal government’s decision to add charges, suggesting it could raise serious legal issues related to double jeopardy.
Outside the courthouse, Mangione was met with a crowd of supporters holding signs that read “Free Luigi” and others criticizing the healthcare sector.
On December 17, a grand jury in New York indicted Mangione on first- and second-degree murder charges, claiming that the incident was an act of terrorism. Alongside these, he also faces charges related to weapon possession and forgery.
Mangione, who comes from a well-known family in Maryland and is Ivy League-educated, is suspected in the December 4 shooting of Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. The assailant reportedly escaped on a bicycle after the shooting.
Just five days later, Mangione was apprehended in an Altoona, Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a customer recognized him from police images. Since then, he has been in custody. Police suspect that Mangione had strong negative feelings toward corporate America, particularly the healthcare industry.
Evidence collected at the crime scene included words like “deny” and “depose” found on shell casings, and “delay” on a bullet. These phrases resemble terminology used to critique the health insurance industry’s claim practices. Authorities also reported discovering a manifesto in Mangione’s possession that criticized the healthcare sector and referred to them as “parasites” who “had it coming.”
