Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has received his largest donation so far from a mystery donor as he awaits trial.
The anonymous person donated $36,500 to the fundraiser on GiveSendGo, created by the December 4 Legal Committee to pay Mangione’s legal bills.
“What intrigues me about this case is how unified folks’ responses are regardless of strata. In Corporate America, for instance, there has been widespread doubt of potential prosecutorial mishandling and overcharging,” the donor wrote alongside their donation.
“I’ve also been surprised at the almost ubiquitous nature of support towards the suspect that I would expect to be quite bifurcated in this type of litigation. Quite exceptional.”
The donation topped the previous record of $30,000 from another anonymous giver, who said they “never needed to worry about affording med care.”
A screenshot from the GiveSendGo crowdfunder, titled Luigi Mangione Official Defense Fund.
GiveSendGo / Luigi Mangione Official Defense Fund
In the latest update from the fundraiser organizers, named after Mangione’s trial date, they made it clear to donors that donating money to Mangione’s legal defence “does not give you any right or access to information or materials regarding the cases, nor will you be able to dictate how any donated monies are spent.”
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They also noted that the tax deductibility of the contributions “depends on applicable laws and regulations.”
The December 4 Legal Committee plans to continue raising funds for Mangione’s legal defence for the duration of the trial. Since contacting Mangione’s legal team, the crowdfunding page has raised $722,545. It has a goal of raising $1,000,000.
On March 5, the organizers shared Mangione’s upcoming court dates and asked people to show up and demonstrate their support for him, including at his next appearance in federal court on March 19 and in New York state court on June 26.
In February, the group said it had made contact with Mangione’s legal team, including Karen Friedman Agnifilo, “who will be accepting” the donations from the fundraiser.
“Karen stated that Luigi ‘very much appreciates the outpouring of support.’ We feel honored to provide supporters with a reliable way to continue contributing to his legal fees through any future donations,” the group shared.
The post went on to note that the two-month anniversary of Mangione’s arrest had passed and the participants are “thrilled that the money raised by this campaign will go toward building the strongest possible defense” against Mangione’s charges, which they refer to as “insulting.”
In December 2024, Mangione, 26, pleaded not guilty to murder and terror charges. The Manhattan district attorney formally charged Mangione earlier in December with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism, in a state case that will run parallel to his federal prosecution.
Federal prosecutors pre-empted Mangione’s initial appearance in New York’s state trial court, bringing their own charges over the shooting. The federal charges could carry the possibility of the death penalty, while the maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors have said the two cases will proceed on parallel tracks, with the state charges expected to go to trial first.
Authorities allege Mangione gunned down Thompson as he was walking to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan on the morning of Dec. 4, 2024.
Mangione was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a five-day search, carrying a gun that matched the one used in the shooting and a fake ID, police said. He also was carrying a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and especially wealthy executives, according to federal prosecutors.
Mangione has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty medical bills. A poll taken in the wake of the shooting showed most Americans believe health insurance profits and coverage denials share blame.
— With files from The Associated Press
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