Luigi Mangione, 26, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been charged with five offenses, including one felony count of forgery and one felony count of carrying a firearm without a license, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
Mangione was arrested earlier that day in Altoona, Pennsylvania, at a McDonald’s, after being recognized by an employee who reported him to authorities.
Mangione, originally from Towson, Maryland, is accused of gunning down Thompson outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan on December 4. “Instead of mourning the death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, we should consider his role in causing the deaths of the 68,000 Americans who die needlessly each year so that insurance company execs like Brian Thompson can become multimillionaires.”
Instead of mourning the United Healthcare CEO, we should consider his role in contributing to the deaths of 68,000 Americans who die needlessly each year so that insurance company executives like Brian Thompson can become multimillionaires.
Police say Mangione was found in possession of several pieces of evidence, including fake identification, a ghost gun with a suppressor, and a handwritten note critical of corporate America.
He has been charged with forgery, carrying a firearm without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
The arrest followed a nationwide manhunt after Thompson’s killing. Investigators identified Mangione as a “strong person of interest” in the case after surveillance images of him were released by the NYPD.
A tip from a McDonald’s employee led police to Mangione, who was seated inside the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop. After being questioned, Mangione reportedly became quiet when asked if he had been to New York recently.
Mangione, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with degrees in computer science and mathematics, previously worked as a software engineer for the online car sales company TrueCar. His most recent residence was in Hawaii, but he is also listed as a registered voter in Maryland at his family’s address in Cockeysville.
The Mangione family, which owns Lorien Health Systems and several other businesses in the Baltimore area, is well known in the region. Mangione’s cousin, Nino Mangione, is a Maryland state delegate. The family also has connections to several local golf clubs and the WCBM radio station.
At his first court appearance in Blair County, Pennsylvania, Mangione was denied bail and has not yet entered a plea. He is expected to be extradited to New York to face charges related to the murder of Thompson.
UnitedHealthcare issued a statement expressing hope that Mangione’s arrest would provide some relief to Thompson’s family and colleagues while asking for privacy during their mourning process.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive behind the killing, with a particular focus on the document reportedly found with Mangione.
Mangione’s next court appearance is expected to be in New York once his extradition is arranged.
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