Categories: US News

Luigi Mangione receives $300K from supporters for legal defense

Photo: Curtis Means-Pool/Getty

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has accepted nearly $300,000 in donations from supporters to fund his legal defense, according to a statement from the December 4 Legal Committee.

Legal fund gains widespread support

NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 19: Luigi Mangione, the suspect indicted in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is seen arriving at the South Street Helipad in New York City on December 19, 2024 after being extradited from Pennsylvania. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images)

The committee, which has been managing a fundraiser on GiveSendGo, confirmed that Mangione’s legal team has accepted the $297,000 raised through over 10,000 individual donations.

Mangione’s lead attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, reportedly told the committee that her client “very much appreciates the outpouring of support” as he awaits trial. A source confirmed the legitimacy of the post, though Agnifilo declined to comment further.

High-profile case sparks controversy

Mangione, the son of a wealthy Maryland real estate family and an Ivy League graduate, faces both state and federal murder charges for allegedly shooting Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4.

According to police, the masked suspect fled the scene, sparking a week-long manhunt that ended in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Authorities say Mangione was found with a 9mm ghost gun, fake IDs, and a manifesto critical of the health insurance industry.

He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, including an act of terrorism, and remains in pretrial detention at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Federal charges could lead to the death penalty.

Supporters criticize charges as “unacceptable”

WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND – JANUARY 06: A protest poster created by urban artist ‘Bod’ at a bus stop showing Luigi Mangione, the American man who is the suspect in the killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, being portrayed as the superhero Superman with the words, ‘Deny, Defend, Depose, on January 06, 2025 in Weymouth, United Kingdom. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

The December 4 Legal Committee claims mainstream media has tried to “demonize” Mangione, but many Americans sympathize with him.

“The average American understands who the real culprits are,” the group wrote in a post, referring to the health insurance industry. They described the terrorism charges as “fundamentally unacceptable” and vowed to continue fundraising for Mangione throughout his trial.

UnitedHealthcare has not responded to requests for comment on the case.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.