NEW YORK – Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to charges related to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to United States (US) media on Friday, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
“I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan, and he died,” Mangione said at a hearing in New York, newspaper USA Today reported.
According to court documents, he faces charges in the federal proceedings including stalking resulting in death. The 28-year-old had previously pleaded not guilty.
Mangione is alleged to have shot insurance chief Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, on a street in the Manhattan district of New York, after having stalked him for some time.
The 50-year-old died in hospital from his injuries.
The case attracted worldwide attention. In the US, it sparked not only outrage but also an unusually high number of expressions of sympathy for Mangione.
Many US citizens criticise the high costs of the country’s health care system.
According to NBC News, Mangione told the court that his experiences with the health care system as a patient with a back injury motivated him to commit the crime.
According to media reports, the sentencing is scheduled for December 18.
The trial was originally due to start in January 2027.
The plea of guilty in the preliminary proceedings has now rendered the trial unnecessary.
This is not the only case against Mangione – he is also facing charges, including murder, in a New York state court.
The trial is scheduled to begin in early September. However, Mangione’s defence team has reportedly requested that the case be dismissed following the plea of guilty in the federal proceedings. – August 15, 2026