Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in US insurance CEO killing

Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges linked to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, bringing a major development in a closely watched case that sparked intense public debate over the US health insurance system.

Mangione admitted in court that he shot Thompson in Manhattan on December 4, 2024. He pleaded guilty to two federal stalking charges involving Thompson and acknowledged that he had targeted the executive with the intention of killing him.

“I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan, and he died,” Mangione told the court.

US District Judge Margaret Garnett warned Mangione that the federal charges could carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. She scheduled his sentencing for December 18. Federal prosecutors have indicated that they will seek a life sentence.

The guilty plea eliminates the need for a federal trial over Thompson’s killing. It could also strengthen Mangione’s efforts to challenge or seek dismissal of separate murder charges filed against him in New York.

Thompson, who headed UnitedHealth Group’s insurance division, was shot outside a Manhattan hotel while attending an investor conference. His death triggered widespread attention across the United States, while the circumstances surrounding the killing led to renewed public discussion about healthcare costs, insurance coverage and patients’ frustrations with the industry.

Mangione, 28, told the court that he had experienced a serious back injury and had subsequently dealt with the health insurance system. He said he researched UnitedHealthcare’s investor conference before travelling to New York with the intention of killing Thompson.

Prosecutors have alleged that Mangione used a 3-D printer to manufacture part of a firearm. He was later arrested in Pennsylvania following a nationwide manhunt.

Thompson’s family welcomed the guilty plea, describing it as an important step toward justice. The family said it expected the court to impose a sentence that reflected the seriousness of the crime.

The case has attracted enormous media and public attention since graphic footage of the shooting emerged and authorities launched a five-day search for the suspect. Mangione’s arrest also generated intense debate on social media, including criticism of the healthcare industry and reactions to the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s death.

Mangione had previously denied the federal allegations and pleaded not guilty to murder, weapons and stalking charges in April 2025.