The legal defense fund for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has amassed over $200,000 in donations.
The outpouring of support has raised alarms among law enforcement officials who fear the suspect is being idolized.
A crowdfunding campaign on GiveSendGo was launched by a group calling itself “The December 4th Legal Committee,” referencing the date of Thompson’s killing in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione is accused of ambushing and fatally shooting Thompson as he walked to a shareholders’ meeting.
The campaign claims to support Mangione’s “constitutional right to fair legal representation” and has attracted thousands of donors, many of whom left supportive messages. The fundraiser previously hit $50,000 in donations by Dec. 12 and has continued to elevate toward a $500,000 “goal,” according to the GiveSendGo page.
One anonymous donor contributed $10, writing: “This is for a young-adult family member who believes in the fight against big U.S. now international insurance companies who use unfair denial of claims to people in need to increase their profits and profitability.” Another donor simply commented, “Eat the rich!” alongside their $10 contribution.
GiveSendGo defended its decision to host the campaign in a press statement, stating, “We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to access due process.”
However, other platforms, including GoFundMe, have taken down similar campaigns, citing violations of terms prohibiting fundraising for violent crimes.
The surge in donations comes as Mangione faces state and federal charges, including terrorism and first-degree murder. Federal prosecutors are pursuing charges that could result in the death penalty. Despite the severity of the allegations, Mangione’s supporters appear undeterred, with some lauding him as a symbol of resistance against corporate greed.
Mangione pleaded not guilty Monday during his arraignment in Manhattan Supreme Court. His attorney, Karen Friedman Angifilo, criticized the heavy-handed treatment of her client, calling it a “political spectacle,” referring to heavy police presence and perp walk that took place for Mangione’s separate federal charges last week.
Outside the state courthouse Monday, dozens of supporters, including a group of young women, gathered in frigid weather to show solidarity.
Law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned about the glorification of Mangione. Meanwhile, the discourse has served as a callback to other high-profile criminal cases that initially garnered public sympathy, such as the Unabomber case and the Olympic Park Bomber case.
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A recent intelligence bulletin warned of growing online rhetoric supporting violence against CEOs, including the spread of “hit lists” and banners displaying the phrase “Deny, Defend, Depose,” which police say was etched into shell casings found at the crime scene where Thompson was shot and killed.
“It’s deeply disturbing,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “And what I would say to members of the public, people who, as you described, are celebrating this and maybe contemplating other action, that we will be vigilant and we will hold people accountable.”
