Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal charges in connection to UnitedHealthcare CEO's death
Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to federal charges during a surprise hearing in New York.
Mangione, 28, is facing two federal charges of stalking resulting in death, each carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
He's accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024, who was fatally shot outside a midtown Manhattan hotel on December 4.
Thompson had been heading to an early morning investor conference and his shooting sparked a nationwide manhunt for his killer.
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The Department of Justice was seeking the death penalty for Mangione, but a judge blocked this in January 2026.
It was rumored yesterday (August 13) that Mangione was going to plead guilty to the charges amid reports of a plea deal – and now he has.
'I shot Mr. Thompson'
He said in court as part of his guilty plea, per live Twitter reporting from Inner City Press: "After years of negotiating severe pain in my back and seeing others too I learned UnitedHealth would hold its conference.
"I researched the event online. I observed the conference of the largest health care company would be attended by executives, not doctor, nurses or patients. I traveled to Manhattan and emailed leadership posing as an investor managing $58 billion."
He went on to admit to printing a gun using s £D printer and shot THompson.
"I shot Mr. Thompson and he died," Mangione said. "I understand he would be afraid, I knew what I was doing was illegal."
The judge went on to ask Mangione how he pleads, and he said 'guilty' to both counts.
Federal prosecutor Dominic A. Gentile says they have video footage of Mangione arriving in New York on November 24, 2024.
There's also CCTV of him following Thompson in the days leading up to the CEO's death, CNN reports.
It's thought that he has pleaded guilty to the charges so that his lawyers can seek dismissal of some or all of the charges in his state case.
He faces several charges in the state of New York, including second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, which he has pleaded not guilty to.
Mangione's state trial is scheduled to begin next month, with jury selection taking place on September 8. It's unclear if today's guilty plea will change this.
Speaking to the media outside the courtroom before Mangione's new plea, his lawyer confirmed that the 28-year-old was there to plead guilty, BBC News reports.
Judge Margaret Garnett then confirmed that Mangione was in a state to enter a plea.
Thompson's family were in the court room today.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].
Topics: Luigi Mangione, New York, Crime, News, US News
Niamh Shackleton