Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty as early as Friday in the federal case stemming from the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a development that could significantly reshape the high-profile prosecution.
A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that Mangione is expected to enter a guilty plea during a hearing in Manhattan federal court. His lawyers have been holding discussions with federal prosecutors over a possible resolution of the case, although the specific charge or charges covered by a potential plea have not been publicly confirmed.
Mangione, 28, faces two federal stalking charges connected to Thompson’s killing. Prosecutors accuse him of traveling to New York and stalking Thompson before the UnitedHealthcare executive was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. Mangione was arrested five days later in Pennsylvania following a nationwide manhunt.
The federal proceedings are running alongside a separate New York state prosecution in which Mangione faces murder and weapons charges. He has pleaded not guilty in the state case, with jury selection scheduled to begin September 8.
A federal guilty plea could have major consequences for that trial. Mangione’s lawyers have argued that resolving the federal prosecution first could trigger protections under New York’s double-jeopardy rules and potentially prevent some or all of the state case from proceeding. Manhattan prosecutors dispute that position and are expected to fight efforts to derail the state prosecution.
The federal case has already changed substantially. In January, a judge dismissed two federal counts that could have exposed Mangione to the death penalty, leaving the stalking charges in place. Those remaining charges can still carry potential life sentences.
Friday’s federal court appearance could therefore become a pivotal moment in a case that has drawn intense national attention since Thompson’s killing, while potentially opening a new legal battle over whether New York can proceed with its separate murder prosecution.
