Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has accepted nearly $300,000 in donations from supporters to fund his legal defense, according to his attorney. The funds, raised through the online platform GiveSendGo, were transferred to Mangione's legal team after weeks of fundraising by the December 4 Legal Committee, a group named for the day of Thompson's killing.
"Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support," said Mangione's attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, according to the committee's statement. "My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him."
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Baltimore family, was arrested on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a five-day nationwide manhunt. Authorities allege he fatally shot Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel before fleeing the scene. When police apprehended him at a local McDonald's, he was found in possession of a 9mm ghost gun, multiple fake IDs, and a manifesto denouncing the private health insurance industry.
The 37-year-old faces state charges of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, as well as federal charges that could carry the death penalty. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently being held pretrial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
The December 4 Legal Committee has framed Mangione's prosecution as unjust, stating in a fundraising post that mainstream media has sought to "demonize" him while the "average American understands who the real culprits are." The group called the terrorism charges against Mangione "fundamentally unacceptable."
"We are thrilled that the money raised by this campaign will go toward building the strongest possible defense against these insulting charges," the committee wrote. They have pledged to continue raising money for Mangione throughout his trial, with a stated goal of reaching $500,000.
Jamie Peck and Sam Beard, podcasters from "Party Girls" who also serve as spokespeople for the fundraiser, expressed satisfaction that Mangione has accepted the financial support. "We are beyond excited to announce that Luigi Mangione has accepted nearly $300,000 that we raised for his legal defense," Peck said in a YouTube video.
Beard added that Thompson's killing resonated with many Americans frustrated by the private health insurance system. The podcasters claim this "untimely end" struck a chord with people who see the "murderous private health insurance regime" as a direct threat to their wellbeing.
The case has sparked intense debate, with some framing Mangione as a vigilante figure while others condemn him as a cold-blooded killer. Authorities have stated that he meticulously planned Thompson's murder for months, allegedly motivated by grievances against what he described as a "parasitic" industry.
Thompson, a father of two, was heading to an investors' conference when he was gunned down. His death sent shockwaves through the business world, with UnitedHealthcare declining to comment on the latest developments regarding Mangione's legal fund.
The Justice Department has indicated that the case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and federal authorities have not ruled out seeking the death penalty.
