Sydney Roosters star Angus Crichton has floated a wild conspiracy theory about the suspect arrested over the cold-blooded execution of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on a New York street.
Thompson, 50, was shot and killed on Wednesday, December 4, in downtown New York City in what police determined was a targeted attack on the health care chief.
A manhunt ensued, and on Monday Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League-educated “anti-capitalist,” was detained at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after an employee recognized him and reported him to authorities.
While he remains imprisoned on murder charges, Mangione has gained a passionate cult following online, with many praising him for “sacrificing himself for society.”
On Wednesday, NRL star Crichton shared a social media post detailing a theory put together by internet sleuths that some are calling the ‘286 Conspiracy Theory’.
Crichton posted several screenshots about the theory, along with the caption: “It’s crazy watching this Luigi case play out in real time, some people do a little digging and find some crazy things.” Is this exaggerated or legit?
Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested Monday afternoon on firearms charges.
Angus Crichton has floated a wild conspiracy theory about the shooting.
Online sleuths have noted that the number 286 appears to be a key element in the investigation, as they try to piece together a possible motive.
Mangione’s X account features a photo of himself, an x-ray of his spine, and a Pokémon named Breloom. Investigating deeper, eagle-eyed detectives have pointed out that Breloom has pokedex number #286.
Mangione also has exactly 286 posts on his X account and was detained at a McDonald’s in Altoona, which interestingly is 286 miles from the crime scene outside the Hilton hotel in Manhattan.
If that wasn’t disturbing enough, Proverbs 28:6 in the Bible says, ‘Better is a poor man who walks in integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.’
Finally, the number 286 is a denial code used in healthcare in the US when appeal deadlines for a claim have not been met.
Mangione appears to have led police on a chase from New York City’s 6th Avenue to the small town of Altoona in Pennsylvania.
He left a trail of overt clues about his motive, including ammunition engraved with the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” and a bag of money from the board game Monopoly in his backpack left in Central Park.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, was shot and killed on Wednesday, December 4, in downtown New York City.
Mangione (pictured) has been accused of shooting Brian Thompson at point-blank range
Officials believe the bullet etchings refer to the “three D’s of insurance,” tactics used by American insurance giants to deny patient claims.
This motive appeared to be even more clearly outlined in a handwritten manifesto that police confiscated from Mangione during his arrest on Monday, which NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said expressed “ill will toward corporate Americans.”
“To the feds, I will be brief, because I respect what you do for our country,” Mangione wrote in the three-page document. “To save you a long investigation, I clearly state that I was not working with anyone.”
“I apologize for any conflict or trauma, but it had to be done,” Mangione added in the document. “Frankly, these parasites just had it coming.”
Mangione also allegedly had a ghost gun believed to be the rare World War II-inspired 9mm pistol used in Thompson’s murder, which the New York Post reported was a Swiss-made Brugger & Thomet VP9, and a muffler.
He was denied bail and was not represented by an attorney during his arraignment in Blair County Court in Pennsylvania on Monday night. Mangione will next appear in court in New York at a later date.