How UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione showed interest in tennis and supported WTA's China ban after Peng Shuai scandal

In the wake of Luigi Mangione being arrested for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, his connection to tennis has come to light. Mangione appeared to take a keen interest in the WTA's response to the disappearance of former player Peng Shuai in China.

On December 4, Brian Thompson was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown while he was in the city for a UnitedHealth Group investor meeting. After the masked gunman fled, the police launched a high-profile investigation and released several photographs of the suspect, in which his face was partially obscured.

Subsequently, on December 9, Luigi Mangione was apprehended in Pennsylvania after being recognized in a McDonald's. He was arraigned after being found in possession of fake identification, a firearm equipped with a suppressor, and a handwritten manifesto that criticized healthcare corporations, including UnitedHealthcare. The 26-year-old was then charged in Manhattan State Court with second-degree murder, three firearm charges, and forgery.

Following his arrest, social media users began scrutinizing Mangione's online presence and uncovered his profiles on sites like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Spotify. Many of the 26-year-old's posts drew significant attention, particularly his review of Unabomber Ted Kaczynski's book 'Industrial Society and Its Future.'

Luigi Mangione's interest in tennis also drew eyeballs, as he reposted former WTA CEO Steve Simon's announcement of the decision to suspend women's tennis tournaments in China due to concerns over Peng Shuai's safety.

In November 2021, Shuai gained international attention after she accused a high-ranking Chinese official of sexual assault on the social media site Weibo. However, the lengthy post was quickly removed, and the former doubles World No. 1 disappeared from public view for over two weeks.

Although Peng Shuai eventually resurfaced, the WTA remained skeptical of her safety and the circumstances of her public appearances. In response, CEO Steve Simon announced the suspension of all women's tennis tournaments in China until a full investigation into Shuai's sexual assault accusation was conducted transparently.

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"Peng Shuai still nowhere to be seen" - Tennis insider reacts to WTA CEO warning players against 'distasteful content' regarding China

Peng Shuai (Source: Getty)

Despite no conclusive resolution regarding Peng Shuai's allegations, former WTA CEO Steve Simon announced that women's tennis would return to China for the 2023 season in a controversial move.

The China swing captured headlines during the 2024 season, with Coco Gauff triumphing at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing and Aryna Sabalenka winning the Wuhan Open title. However, there was also negative attention as Paula Badosa landed in hot water for her perceived racist gesture and Magda Linette earned backlash for making a joke about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the controversies, WTA CEO Portia Archer issued a stern statement warning players that "distasteful content" and culturally insensitive remarks would not be tolerated.

However, tennis journalist Jose Morgado called out the silence surrounding Peng Shuai, pointing out that she still hadn't been spotted at any of the Chinese tournaments.

"Peng Shuai still nowhere to be seen around one of the many Chinese tennis events, though....," Morgado posted on X.

For her part, Shuai asserted that she had "never disappeared" in a 2022 interview and retracted her allegations of sexual abuse. However, the L'Equipe journalist who interviewed the Chinese star described the exchange as a "propaganda" attempt and disclosed that it was "impossible to say that she was safe."