NEW YORK (Diya TV) — Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty Friday to federal stalking charges tied to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Mangione, 28, entered the plea in Manhattan federal court. He told U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett that he shot Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, and that Thompson died.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette, attended the hearing. She took several deep breaths and wiped away tears as Mangione spoke. A supporter sat beside her and held her.
Mangione will face sentencing Dec. 18. Judge Garnett asked whether he understood that he could spend the rest of his life in prison. He answered, “Yes.”
The federal guilty plea resolves one of two criminal cases tied to Thompson’s death. Mangione still faces a separate murder case in New York state court.
His lawyers now want the state case dismissed. They argue that prosecuting Mangione twice for the same killing could violate double jeopardy protections.
Defense lawyer Karen Friedman said Mangione had accepted full responsibility for Thompson’s death. She also argued that he should not face two separate prosecutions over the same event.
Police say Mangione planned the attack before the shooting. Investigators say he contacted UnitedHealthcare before the investor conference while pretending to be an investor at a large firm.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman approaching Thompson from behind and shooting him. Police later said they found the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on ammunition connected to the case.
Those words drew attention because critics often use similar language when discussing insurance claim practices. Authorities also said Mangione wrote private material that criticized health insurers.
As a result, the case sparked a wider debate about the U.S. health insurance industry. Mangione also gained support from some critics of the industry, who turned him into a controversial public figure.
During Friday’s hearing, Mangione said he pursued Thompson after years of severe pain from a broken back. He also said he faced difficulties while dealing with the health insurance system.
However, police and UnitedHealthcare said Mangione never had coverage through UnitedHealthcare.
Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and came from a wealthy Maryland family. Police arrested him five days after the shooting at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan.
Thompson, 50, led UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest health insurers in the United States. He joined parent company UnitedHealth Group Inc. about 20 years ago and became UnitedHealthcare CEO in 2021.
Thompson and his wife had two sons, who were in high school when he died.
Both the federal and state cases could result in a life sentence. Earlier this year, however, a federal judge dismissed additional charges that could have exposed Mangione to the death penalty.
Mangione has repeatedly objected to facing two trials. In February, he argued that the two cases amounted to the same trial twice.
Meanwhile, Judge Garnett has rejected some defense arguments. In January, she ruled that prosecutors could use evidence taken from Mangione’s backpack after his arrest.
The evidence included a 3D-printed pistol that investigators say matched the weapon used to kill Thompson. Authorities also found a notebook that they say contained Mangione’s plans to kill an insurance executive.
For now, Mangione’s federal case will move toward sentencing.
