Luigi Mangione update: Accused in UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting case to use $300k by supporters online

Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old Ivy League graduate accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has accepted nearly $300,000 in donations for his legal defense. The funds were raised through an online campaign run by supporters and will be used to fight charges in his upcoming trial.

As per the reports by People, the December 4 Legal Committee, a group created in response to the December 4, 2024, incident, launched the fundraiser on GiveSendGo. They announced that Mangione's legal team had accepted the $297,000 raised through the campaign to cover his legal expenses.

The group's statement confirmed that they had been in contact with Mangione's lead attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who expressed gratitude on the accused's behalf.

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Luigi Mangione's legal defense bolstered by donations

Luigi Mangione is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (Image via Getty)

Luigi Mangione's attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, acknowledged the growing support from over 10,000 individual donors in a statement to Newsweek.

"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," Agnifilo said.

Luigi Mangione faces both state and federal murder charges related to the December 4 shooting, which occurred outside a Manhattan hotel where CEO Brian Thompson was attending an investors' conference.

The masked suspect fled the scene, prompting a weeklong manhunt. Mangione was arrested on December 9, 2024, at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a tip led police to his location, as reported by People.

Authorities reported that Mangione was carrying a 9mm ghost gun, multiple fake IDs, and a manifesto criticizing the health insurance industry at the time of his arrest. He was charged with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, weapons offenses, and multiple counts of forgery, as reported by the Independent.

Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges and is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. If convicted of federal murder charges, he could face the death penalty. His next court appearance in New York is scheduled for February 21, 2025.

In its fundraising announcement, the December 4 Legal Committee criticized the terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione and expressed its intent to continue raising funds throughout the trial.

"We are thrilled that the money raised by this campaign will go toward building the strongest possible defense against these insulting charges," the committee said in a post, as per People.

According to the Independent, the group also encouraged Luigi Mangione's supporters to donate, send him letters, and find "creative and public ways to advocate for him" while he awaits trial.

The case has sparked significant public attention, with the December 4 Legal Committee framing the incident as part of a broader issue with the health insurance industry.

"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," said Sam Beard, a spokesperson for the committee, as per the Independent.

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UnitedHealthcare has not commented on the case. The December 4 Legal Committee plans to continue supporting Mangione throughout his trial. In Pennsylvania, Luigi Mangione also faces additional charges of carrying a gun without a license and forgery.

After waiving his right to an extradition hearing, he was extradited to New York on December 19, 2024. Federal prosecutors have not announced whether they will seek the death penalty.