By TMZ | Created at 2026-08-16 15:55:19 | Updated at 2026-08-16 18:43:34
3 hours ago
Luigi Mangione Allowed to Rack in Legal Funds ... Despite Guilty Plea
Published August 16, 2026 8:14 AM PDT
Luigi Mangione's legal defense fundraiser is still going strong despite his recent guilty plea in the federal case tied to the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ... and GiveSendGo says there's a simple reason why.
A GiveSendGo spokesperson tells TMZ the fundraiser was created to cover Mangione's legal defense costs across three separate cases and remains active because he still faces unresolved legal matters.
As you know ... Mangione pleaded guilty Friday to two federal stalking charges related to Thompson's death. He is still facing a separate New York state case, and his federal sentencing is scheduled for December 18.
The GiveSendGo spokesperson explains the platform's policy requires money raised through legal-defense fundraisers involving violent or weapons-related charges to be received by a licensed attorney or law firm. In Mangione's case, the spokesperson says the guilty plea does not change the status of the fundraiser while his remaining cases are active.
The spokesperson also stresses that keeping the fundraiser online should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Mangione, his alleged actions or his public statements ... adding "Hosting a fundraiser has never been an endorsement of a person, their actions, or their public statements."
GiveSendGo also says it doesn't decide who deserves financial support, and leaves that decision to individual donors.
The fundraiser has drawn continued contributions from supporters even after Mangione's guilty plea. As we previously reported ... donations increased by roughly $1,000 in the hours following his court appearance -- and another roughly $3,000 has been raised since then.
For now, the fundraiser remains open as Mangione's legal team deals with the remaining proceedings ... with GiveSendGo maintaining that its role is simply to provide access to lawful fundraising, not to take a position on the case.
