UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect, Luigi Mangione, faces federal charges in New York after agreeing to waive extradition.

 A New York indictment has brought four federal charges related to the killing of Brian Thompson earlier this month.

Dec. 19, 2024, 9:03 PM GMT+6 / Updated Dec. 20, 2024, 4:06 AM GMT+6

By Marlene Lenthang, Adam Reiss, and Antonio Planas

Luigi Mangione, the suspect indicted in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, waived his right to an extradition hearing and was flown from Pennsylvania to New York on Thursday afternoon to face federal charges.

Mangione, 26, appeared in Blair County, Pennsylvania, on Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing, where he waived extradition before being transferred to New York police custody.

New federal charges were unsealed on Thursday, including two counts of stalking, murder using a firearm, and a firearms offense.

Mangione, appearing clean-cut, entered federal court in lower Manhattan Thursday afternoon, wearing beige slacks, a white shirt, and a black V-neck sweater. Before the hearing, he reviewed the charging documents.

During the hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker read the four federal charges, asking Mangione if he understood them. He answered, “Yes.”

Judge Parker ruled that Mangione would remain detained until his next hearing in mid-January, with plans to hold him at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, according to a senior official.

After the hearing, one of Mangione's attorneys, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, stated outside the courthouse that his defense team would not comment at this time. “Mr. Mangione appreciates everyone’s support,” she said.

Mangione now faces both federal charges in New York and 11 charges in New York state related to Thompson’s ambush shooting, as well as charges in Pennsylvania.

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York issued a statement, with Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim noting that the state case is expected to go to trial before the federal case.

Thompson was fatally shot on December 4 while walking outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel to speak at a UnitedHealth Group investor conference.

The federal stalking charges accuse Mangione of traveling across state lines from Georgia to New York with the intent to "kill, injure, harass, intimidate" and stalk Thompson. The charges also allege that Mangione used electric communications, interstate highways, and the internet to carry out the murder.

A federal complaint, written by an FBI special agent, revealed new details about a notebook Mangione had when arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9. The notebook contained several handwritten pages expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.

An entry from August 15 indicated that “the details are finally coming together,” with a plan to target “insurance” because it “checks every box.” Another entry from October 22 said: “1.5 months. This investor conference is a true windfall,” followed by a note to “wack” the CEO of one of the insurance companies at the event. This entry was written six weeks before Thompson’s murder on December 4.

In a letter to the authorities, Mangione claimed, “I wasn’t working with anyone” and stated his actions were “self-funded.”

Extradited from Pennsylvania to New York, Mangione attended his hour-long preliminary hearing in Pennsylvania, appearing attentive and occasionally smiling with his attorney. Afterward, dressed in an orange jumpsuit, he was escorted out of the courthouse and placed in a black SUV.

Around 10:40 a.m., a convoy of New York City and Pennsylvania State Police vehicles was seen at Altoona-Blair County Airport, where Mangione was flown to New York. The plane took off about 10 minutes later, and Mangione arrived at MacArthur Airport on Long Island shortly after noon.

Outside the Blair County Courthouse, Mangione’s Pennsylvania attorney, Thomas Dickey, commented, “Everything we did today was in his best interest. We’re ready now to defend, move forward, and start defending these charges in New York and Pennsylvania.”

Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks told reporters, “He will go forth with New York to await trial or prosecution for his homicide and related charges in New York. We intend to keep our case active and revisit the case when the defendant is available for prosecution in Blair County.”

Supporters of Mangione gathered outside the courthouse earlier that morning, some holding signs that read “Free Luigi.”

On Tuesday, New York prosecutors indicted Mangione on 11 counts related to Thompson’s death. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, had been arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona after a five-day manhunt. He faces felony charges in Pennsylvania for forgery and carrying a firearm without a license, as well as a misdemeanor for using fraudulent identification.

New York police believe Mangione may have targeted Thompson because UnitedHealthcare is one of the country’s largest private health insurers. He had reportedly suffered a “life-altering injury” to his back and had expressed dissatisfaction with corporate America and the healthcare system in his writings and social media posts.

The 11-count indictment in New York charges Mangione with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder (including one related to terrorism), and several counts of weapon possession. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed the charges.

Dickey, Mangione’s attorney in Pennsylvania, has stated that he will plead not guilty to both the New York and Pennsylvania charges.

Friedman Agnifilo, another of Mangione's attorneys, said Wednesday that they are “ready to fight these charges in whatever court they are brought.” She added that the federal government’s decision to add new charges on top of the already existing state murder and terrorism case raises “serious constitutional and statutory double jeopardy concerns.”