CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione officially accepts $300k for legal defense
The 26-year-old Ivy League grad is set to appear in New York court later this month
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has accepted nearly $300,000 in donations toward his legal defense, according to the fund.
Mangione is accused of killing Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. He faces criminal charges in New York, Pennsylvania, and federal court. The Ivy League graduate pleaded not guilty to the New York state charges and has yet to make pleas in the other venues.
The December 4 Legal Committee, which created a GiveSendGo legal fund, announced Monday that Mangione would be accepting the more than $292,000 in funds that the group has raised.
“We’re thrilled that Luigi is accepting these funds so that he can mount the strongest defense possible,” said D4 Legal Committee spokesperson Sam Beard in a statement. “The American private health insurance industry has ruined countless lives by denying people access to basic care and burying families in medical debt. It’s no surprise that Luigi’s alleged actions are understood and supported by tens of millions of hard-working Americans.”
The announcement comes a week after Mangione’s lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo told Newsweek that her client planned on using the donations.
"Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support. My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him,” the attorney said. At the time, the December 4 Legal Committee had $240,000 in contributions.
The Independent has reached out to Agnifilo for more information.
The group says it will continue raising money for Mangione for the duration of his trial. “We encourage his millions of supporters to find creative and public ways to advocate for him during his time behind bars, in addition to donating and sending him mail. He loves to receive letters, memes and books,” the December 4 legal committee said in a statement.
Mangione was arrested on December 10 in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania following a dramatic six-day manhunt that drew nationwide attention. In Pennsylvania, he faces charges of carrying a gun without a license, forgery, and other counts.
He was extradited to New York on December 19 after waiving his right to an extradition hearing.
He’s next slated to appear in New York state court on February 21. There, he faces 11 charges, including first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, second-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and multiple weapons offenses.
At the federal level, he was charged with murder through use of a firearm, two counts of stalking, and one firearm offense. If he’s convicted, the count of murder through use of a firearm carries the possibility of the death penalty. It’s not immediately clear if federal prosecutors plan to seek it.