On Friday, Luigi Mangione appeared at a surprise hearing in Manhattan federal court to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” for two charges involving the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. During the proceedings, Mangione delivered a detailed, stoic account of how he stalked and killed the executive on the streets of Midtown Manhattan in December 2024. These remarks represent his most extensive public statements regarding the case to date.
“I’m going to ask you now to tell me in your own words what you did that makes you believe that you are guilty of these charges,” Judge Margaret Garnett instructed Mangione. The defendant, who opted to remain seated, read a prepared statement describing his frustrations with the healthcare industry and his subsequent decision to target the UnitedHealthcare leadership.
“After years of enduring severe pain from a broken back, navigating the obstacles of the health insurance system and witnessing similar experiences of countless others,” Mangione stated, “I learned that United Healthcare would be holding its annual investor conference in New York City on Dec. 4, 2024, although the specific location was not publicly disclosed.”
The courtroom was tense as Thompson’s family looked on, visibly emotional throughout the testimony. Mangione explained that he researched the conference online and identified that the attendees were primarily company executives and investors rather than medical professionals. He further revealed that he traveled to Manhattan in November 2024 and successfully obtained information about the event by posing as an investor from a firm managing over $50 billion in assets.
“Unlike my previous interactions with insurers, I received an immediate response within an hour,” Mangione noted. This admission marks the first public confirmation that he used deception to locate the conference venue. He also disclosed that he utilized a 3D printer to manufacture the firearm used in the attack, complete with a silencer and magazine.
“My travel to New York and email to United Healthcare was with the intent to shoot Brian Thompson,” Mangione confessed. “On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died. When I did so, I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death or serious bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.”
Following the plea, Judge Garnett scheduled a sentencing hearing for December 18. Simultaneously, Mangione’s legal team has filed a motion to dismiss his New York state murder charges, citing double jeopardy protections under the Fifth Amendment. New York Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro is expected to rule on the motion as the state trial remains tentatively scheduled for September.