Lorena O’Neil
View all posts by Lorena O’Neil August 14, 2026
Luigi Mangione in court last June. On Aug 14, he pleaded guilty to two federal counts. He will be sentenced in December. Angelina Katsanis/POOL/AFP/Getty Images On Friday, Luigi Mangione appeared at a surprise hearing in Manhattan federal court in order to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty” for two charges involving the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. During the hearing, he read a lengthy statement about how he stalked and killed Brian Thompson, the United Healthcare CEO, on the streets of Midtown Manhattan in December 2024. He also spoke about his experiences navigating the healthcare industry, in what have been his most lengthy public statements 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 told Mangione on Friday morning. She reminded Mangione to read slowly and told him he could stand, although he said he wished to remain seated.
“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,” said Mangione, reading stoically and methodically. “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.”
Thompson’s family, who sat in the front row behind federal prosecutors, looked over at Mangione as he read his own words. They were emotional throughout the proceeding, consoling each other at times. Mangione said that he researched the investor conference online and observed that the attendees were not doctors, nurses, and patients but company executives and investors.
“In November of 2024, I traveled from outside of New York State to Manhattan,” continued Mangione. “I then emailed UnitedHealthcare leadership posing as an investor at a firm managing over $50 billion in assets and requesting information about the conference. Unlike my previous interactions with insurers, I received an immediate response within an hour.”
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This is the first indication of such an email, and first report that Mangione posed as an investor in order to find out where the UHC conference would be held. Mangione added that he used a 3D printer to make a gun, adding a silencer and magazine. His lead attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo looked at him intently as he recited the words, offering him support throughout the hearing.
