Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of stalking and the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan in December 2024. During his plea, Mangione admitted to shooting Thompson outside an investor conference, stating he understood his actions would cause fear of death or bodily injury. He cited personal suffering from a broken back and difficulties navigating the healthcare system as motivations. Mangione faces a maximum sentence of life in prison in the federal case.

Despite the federal guilty plea, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, led by Alvin Bragg, intends to proceed with state-level charges. These potential charges include second-degree murder and illegal weapons possession. While Mangione’s defense has requested that the state court dismiss the pending New York charges, prosecutors have signaled they will oppose the motion. The family of Brian Thompson has expressed that the federal plea is a significant step toward justice but remains attentive to the upcoming state proceedings.