Mangione Expected to Plead Guilty in Federal Case Tied to UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Death

Luigi Mangione is set to appear before a federal judge Friday for a proceeding where he is anticipated to enter a guilty plea regarding the December 4, 2024 death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to sources with knowledge of the matter. The 28-year-old defendant remains free to withdraw from any plea agreement before the late-morning hearing, which prosecutors and defense attorneys requested earlier in the week on an expedited basis. Both Mangione’s legal team and the Justice Department have refrained from commenting ahead of the court appearance.

Mangione faces two federal stalking charges related to Thompson’s fatal shooting outside a Manhattan hotel as the 50-year-old insurance executive headed to UnitedHealth Group’s annual shareholder meeting. State prosecutors have also brought murder charges in the case, with a trial scheduled to commence next month, though the status of state proceedings remains uncertain if a federal guilty plea is accepted. Prior plea negotiations in June collapsed without resolution.

The defendant has contended that prosecuting him in both federal and state courts amounts to double jeopardy, telling a judge in February that “it’s the same trial twice.” Under New York law, state charges may be dismissed if the federal case concludes first through a guilty plea or jury verdict. Investigators recovered a 3D-printed firearm from Mangione’s backpack matching the weapon used in Thompson’s death, along with a notebook documenting his intent to kill an insurance executive.

Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days after the killing at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s location approximately 230 miles west of New York City. Both the federal and state cases carry potential life sentences. A federal judge previously eliminated charges that could have exposed Mangione to capital punishment.