Luigi Mangione, 28, pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges on Friday in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Appearing in a Manhattan federal courtroom, Mangione stated, "On the morning of December 4, 2024, I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and he died." He added, "I knew what I was doing was illegal."
Mangione described his planning, including researching UnitedHealthcare's annual investor conference and emailing leadership while posing as an investor to gain information. He also stated he used a 3D printer to forge part of a firearm, affixing it with a silencer and magazine.
Thompson was shot on a Manhattan street on 4 December 2024. Mangione's guilty plea in the federal case concludes the prospect of a federal trial. However, state murder charges are still pending against him, with his legal team filing paperwork to dismiss the separate state case, citing New York's double-jeopardy law. Manhattan prosecutors have indicated they are prepared to litigate these motions.