Luigi Mangione to Plead Guilty to Killing UnitedHealthcare CEO — As Accused Assassin Hoping for a 'Lesser Sentence'
Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to his federal charges.
Aug. 13 2026, Published 1:39 p.m. ET
Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to federal charges in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The 28-year-old accused killer's plea could spare him the death penalty in his federal trial.
Luigi Mangione Will Be Back in Court
Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024.
Mangione is set to appear at a hastily called hearing on Friday morning in Manhattan federal court.
He is charged in the federal case with two counts of stalking resulting in death stemming from his alleged December 2024 murder of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.
The federal charges are in addition to state charges he is scheduled to face at a trial next month.
Mangione's plea might spare him capital punishment, but he will likely be ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars. However, negotiations are ongoing, and Mangione could reverse his decision at any time.
The terms of the deal are not final until he accepts them in court.
Luigi Mangione's Attorneys Are Fighting for Double Jeopardy
His state trial is less than a month away.
If Mangione does plead guilty to the federal charges, it could greatly hinder his state case because of New York's rules against double jeopardy, which his lawyers have been arguing from the start of both cases.
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. However, his original first-degree terror-related charges were dismissed by a judge.
If he is convicted in the New York case, he faces the possibility of life in prison. Jury selection in that case is still scheduled to begin September 8.
Federal vs. State Charges
The federal plea might have an immediate impact on his state case.
In contrast, in federal court, Mangione is technically only charged with federal stalking charges resulting in death. A federal judge dismissed a death-penalty-eligible murder charge and firearm charges in January.
If Mangione chooses to plead guilty to murder federally, then the state might not be able to pursue the same allegation, rendering its second-degree murder charge useless.
An individual being prosecuted twice for the same crime or instance is considered double jeopardy, which is not allowed under New York State law. Right now, the state charges are set for trial before the federal charges can hit the court.
However, if Mangione's team works quickly, they could settle the murder allegation federally without needing to defend him again in state court.
Luigi Mangione May Pander to His Popularity
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Mangione has become something of a folk hero to sympathizers.
Attorneys for the alleged killer have suggested they plan to exploit his folk-like popularity at his state trial, which experts say may be their best bet.
"The conventional wisdom is that the defense usually doesn't want high-profile cases broadcast. It can put implicit pressure on jurors to return a guilty verdict," former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Fox News Digital.
"Mangione is probably the most popular accused murderer that I've ever covered in the past 25 years. [He] has a fan base. There's upwards of 10 to 20 percent of the people who have been surveyed who believe that even if he did it, it was justified.
"And I think the defense knows this, and they know that more attention creates the possibility of jury nullification, or maybe even an acquittal."
