Aug. 13, 2026, 12:02 PM EDT / Updated Aug. 13, 2026, 12:03 PM EDT
By Jonathan Dienst, Adam Reiss, Erica Byfield and Matt Lavietes
Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty on Friday to federal charges in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan, according to
The expected plea change comes less than a month before Mangione, 28, is scheduled to go to trial in a state murder case in connection with the death of Thompson
Lawyers for Mangione declined to comment. The Justice Department and a court spokesperson also declined to comment
It is unclear if Mangione will plead guilty to one or both of the two stalking-related charges in his federal case. While details of Mangione’s plea are not immediately clear, he could reverse his decision at any time, even during the hearing
re ongoing and that nothing is final until Mangione himself accepts or enters into a plea deal
If he is convicted, he could face a life sentence
NBC New York reportedon Tuesday the possibility of a plea deal and,in June, that defense lawyers had talks with federal prosecutors about a possible plea deal before a scheduled hearing, and that an agreement had at least once appeared close
Legal experts say plea talks are common before most trials. NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos said that if a plea deal is reached in the federal case, New York law may bar a subsequent state prosecution for the same conduct
The Justice Department initially sought the death penalty for Mangione in his federal case, which U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett blocked in January
If Mangione pleads guilty to the federal charges, his lawyers are expected to seek dismissal of some or all of the charges in his state case. Jury selections in that case are set to begin next month. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office declined to comment
In his state case, Mangione pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges, including second-degree murder and several counts related to criminal possession of a weapon. If he is convicted in the New York case, he faces the possibility of life in prison
New York court prepares for high-profile Mangione trial
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Lawyers for Mangione have been arguing since the beginning of both cases that their client is a victim of double jeopardy
Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson outside of the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan in December 2024, hours before UnitedHealthcare was set to host an investor conference at the hotel
A days-long, multi-state manhunt for the masked man seen in surveillance footage gunning down Thompson on the street captivated the world
It concluded with Mangione’s arrestat a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Upon his arrest, authorities confiscated a notebook prosecutors say belonged to Mangione and contained plans to kill Thompson
Thompson’s killing and Mangione’s arrest have prompted wider debates about the unpopular U.S. healthcare system and its high costs
Mangione has become some sort of folk hero to some and referenced by some charged with other crimes. The 28-year-old has regularly attracted supporters to his pre-trial appearances
