Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty To Killing CEO Friday

NEW YORK CITY — Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York federal court on Friday.

Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of killing Thompson in Midtown in December 2024 and then leading police on a five-day manhunt, is facing charges in three separate cases related to the incident.

One case is in Pennsylvania for possessing an illegal gun and giving a fake ID to the police, one is in New York State for murder, and one is a federal case that charges him with murder.

He initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, and Friday's court date represents a departure from his previous appearances.

"I shot Mr. Thompson and he died," Mangione said in New York court Friday. "I knew what I was doing was illegal."

Mangione is specifically pleading guilty to two of his charges — one count of interstate stalking resulting in death, and one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death.

Both charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The guilty plea comes ahead of his jury selection, beginning Sept. 8, for the trial.

"We are encouraged that Mr. Thompson’s family received a measure of accountability today," Doug Cohen, the press secretary of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said. "While federal sentencing is pending, we are prepared to litigate the defense motions."

Judge Margaret Garnett set the sentencing for Dec. 18, 2026.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.