Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday in Manhattan federal court to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He admitted matter-of-factly that he trailed Thompson to an investor conference in 2024 and shot him on a New York City street. Mangione told the court, "On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died," while Thompson's wife Paulette wiped tears and was comforted by a supporter. He also revealed he used a ruse to glean information about the event, contacting the insurance company under the guise of being an investor at a multibillion-dollar firm.

The plea resolves one of two cases against Mangione. His defense lawyers are seeking to have a separate New York state murder case thrown out on double jeopardy grounds. Defense lawyer Karen Friedman said Mangione has "accepted full responsibility for the death of Brian Thompson" and shouldn't face two prosecutions over a "single tragic event." U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett asked if he understood he could spend his life in prison; Mangione answered "Yes." Sentencing is set for Dec. 18.

Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind. Police said "delay," "deny," and "depose" were written on the ammunition, echoing a phrase about insurers avoiding paying claims. Mangione's private writings criticized health insurers as greedy, according to authorities, making the case a flashpoint for debate about the industry. Mangione said he acted "after years of enduring severe pain from a broken back and navigating the obstacles of the health insurance system," though he was never a UnitedHealthcare customer.

Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days after the shooting at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pa., about 230 miles west of Manhattan. Thompson had led UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest U.S. health insurers, and had been with parent company UnitedHealth Group for 20 years; he became CEO in 2021. He and his wife have two sons. Both the federal and state cases could lead to a life sentence; a federal judge earlier tossed out charges that could have exposed him to the death penalty. Mangione had complained about the prospect of two trials.