Fans of the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s alleged killer have been desperately trying to raise money for his legal defense, while flooding the Internet with a wave of support.
Luigi Mangione, 26 years old, he is an “anti-capitalist” Ivy League graduate who was arrested after a McDonald’s employee in Altoona, about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh, believed he was recognized as the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Dec. 4 in downtown Pittsburgh. New York.
Mangione has been arrested on firearms charges in Pennsylvania. On Monday night he was officially charged with murder in New York.
Since he was formally charged, his countless fans have been trying to raise money for his defense against the accusations.
Several short-lived campaigns appeared on GoFundMe that were quickly removed by the donation site.
The description of one page, titled ‘Legal defense for suspect in death of UnitedHealthCare CEO (sic)’ read: ‘Legal fundraising for suspect accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO who announced he would deny payment of anesthesia during surgeries that lasted a long time or had complications.
‘This is an issue with a lot of emotional and political charge. Everyone deserves a fair trial and competent legal representation.’
Another said: ‘Luigi has risked everything to stand up to corporations that are destroying American lives.
Luigi Mangione, 26, is an alleged ‘anti-capitalist’ gunman who murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4.
Fans attempted to create donation pages to fund his legal battle against the charges.
‘It is our duty to support this man so that his story can be told and why it is important to us and our families. ‘We the people for the people!’
GoFundMe’s terms and conditions clearly state that pages that raise money for ‘the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering, murder, robbery, assault, battery, sexual crimes or crimes against minors’ are not permitted. .
But other fundraising sites have maintained campaigns in support of Mangione.
There are at least two GiveSendGo pages that together have raised nearly $8,000 for Mangione’s defense.
The one-page description read: ‘Funds are being raised to pay Mr. Mangione’s legal fees incurred in connection with the criminal charges filed and any future civil lawsuits that may arise, as well as expenses related to his defense. All contributions are greatly appreciated.
“All proceeds raised in excess of those needed to cover Mr. Mangione’s legal defense will be donated to an appropriate charity to be determined at a later date.”
The description on the other page read: “This is a pre-emptive legal fundraiser for the suspect allegedly involved in the shooting of the CEO of United Healthcare.” We are not here to celebrate violence, but we do believe in the constitutional right to fair legal representation. Please share on your networks!
‘Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old man born and raised in Maryland, was arrested as a suspect in this case on December 9. Efforts are being made to contact him and his attorneys. All profits will be sent directly to Luigi or, if you choose to decline the funds, they will be donated to legal funds for other American political prisoners.’
Mangione was caught on surveillance camera in a New York shelter
Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson at point-blank range on December 5
It comes amid a wave of support for Mangione. While some have supported the alleged murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, many are simply thirsty for the Ivy League-educated killer.
A post for X said: ‘What he did took action against private health insurance corporations. He was a brave Italian martyr. In this house, Luigi Mangione is a hero, end of story!’
Another said: “Luigi Mangione’s lawyer should take the entire health insurance industry to court and argue that Mangione was defending the public from a predatory CEO who profited from killing and bankrupting people.”
A third simply said: “Luigi Mangione is an Italian Ivy League frat boy who is a huge bookworm, loves reading comics and Pokémon also lifts weights.”
“That man is literally handmade for me and they just put him behind bars.”
Luigi Mangione was apparently shocked after McDonald’s employees recognized him after five days on the run.
Sources told DailyMail.com that several staff members noticed the masked man, who was sitting quietly reading after ordering a drink at the fast food establishment.
An employee then called authorities after a customer also quietly mentioned to them that he looked like the man authorities had been searching for nearly a week.
The alleged murderer was photographed inside his cell.
An X-ray image emerged to show Mangione’s surgery
Mangione arrives in court Monday night after being captured by Altoona police.
When police arrived, they found the suspect wearing a medical mask and looking at a silver laptop, with his backpack on the floor near the table, according to charging documents.
As soon as he lowered his mask, rookie Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye said he and his partner immediately recognized him as the suspect accused of shooting Thompson to death on Dec. 4.
‘We just didn’t think twice. We knew he was our guy,” Frye told reporters at a news conference Monday night.
Police say Mangione proceeded to give officers a New Jersey driver’s license in the name of Mark Rosario with date of birth July 21, 1998.
When a police officer asked him if he had been to New York recently, he “began to shake,” charging documents say.
‘He became visibly nervous, as if trembling at that question. And he didn’t really respond directly,” said Altoona Police Chief Derek Swope.
“The suspect didn’t have to say much after that question to show that he was very nervous about (the officers).”
Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested Monday afternoon on firearms charges.
He reportedly gave police a fake ID when they began questioning him.
But police officers at the scene soon realized that the New Jersey driver’s license was fake, at which point an officer told him that he was under official police investigation and that if he lied about his identity, he would be arrested.
Upon hearing this, Mangione allegedly provided officers with his true identity.
When asked why he lied about his name, the suspect is said to have responded: “I clearly shouldn’t have done it.”
In the end, Frye said, Mangione “was very cooperative with us” and “didn’t give us too much trouble.”
“Once we found out his identity, we went from there,” said the rookie, who has only been on the force for six months.
In the end, Mangione calmly and quietly walked with officers outside the McDonald’s, and staff members said there was minimal disruption to their work day.
“We all want to know why and how it ended up in our small town, because it doesn’t make any sense,” one employee told DailyMail.com.
“There’s not a lot of traffic here, it’s not a big city.”