Luigi Mangione Prepared to Plead Guilty to Federal Charges, He Tells Judge

The planned guilty plea marks a remarkable shift in Mangione’s defense, as he had previously pleaded not guilty to all the federal and state charges he was facing.

Mangione, 28, was arrested in December 2024 on suspicion of fatally shooting Thompson in New York City five days earlier while the health executive was walking to a conference. The case quickly drew the attention of people across the country, some of whom regarded Mangione as a symbol for those who are frustrated with the health insurance industry in the U.S.

The 28-year-old’s state murder trial is scheduled to start next month in New York. The state charges he’s facing carry a possible sentence of 25 years to life. It’s not yet clear what impact, if any, a federal guilty plea could have on the state charges against him, but the judge in federal court on Friday said that if Mangione is found guilty in the state case against him, that could be added to his federal sentence.