By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-13 21:28:47 | Updated at 2026-08-13 23:24:02
6 hours ago
Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to federal charges over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to sources.
Mangione, 28, will appear in court on Friday morning in a surprise hearing, and many have speculated that he might accept a plea deal.
On Thursday, sources close to the matter told NBC News that the alleged assassin could plead guilty to one or both of the federal stalking charges brought against him.
He still faces a state second-degree murder charge, multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a forged instrument.
Plea negotiations between Mangione's legal team and federal prosecutors remain ongoing, and details of the plea have not been immediately clear, the report stated.
He could also reverse his decision at any time, including during the hearing, per the outlet.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His state trial is set to begin next month, while his federal case is slated to go to trial early next year.
If convicted, the Maryland native could face life in prison.
Luigi Mangione could plead guilty to one or both of the federal stalking charges brought against him, a source close to the matter has said
Mangione is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to death on December 4, 2024
The Justice Department initially wanted the death penalty for Mangione in his federal case, but U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett blocked that from happening in January.
The news comes just one day after it was revealed that Mangione's lawyers and prosecutors filed a joint letter requesting that a hearing be held at 11am on Friday in Manhattan Federal Court.
If he accepts an apparent plea deal in his federal case, Mangione's state charges could possibly be thrown out because of New York's double jeopardy laws.
Federal and state governments can prosecute for the same conduct because they are considered independent of each other, but under New York state law, double jeopardy can come into play when a prior prosecution for the same conduct ends in a conviction by guilty plea or a resolution at trial.
A legal expert previously told the Daily Mail that a plea deal might be the next move in his case so Mangione can get a lower sentence than if he went on trial.
'Any time they're going to get a penalty that’s anything better than Mangione spending the rest of his life in jail, that’s a victory,' former federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein said.
Weinstein said that the double jeopardy law is also another major benefit if a plea deal is presented.
‘If they [Mangione's legal team] craft their resolution in a way that allows the NY state law to apply then it takes care of the New York state case.
The fatal shooting was captured on camera as Thompson made his way to a hotel in Midtown Manhattan
'If they say these are crimes that arise out of the same matter then they can’t prosecute him.
‘They will file a motion to dismiss based on double jeopardy, so there won't be a trial on Sept 8th,' he shared.
It all comes just months after Mangione's legal team, which includes husband-and-wife duo Marc Agnifilo and Karen Friedman Agnifilo, had unsuccessful talks with federal prosecutors about a potential plea deal for their client.
At the time, Friedman Agnifilo said that the prosecution was trying to 'manipulate public opinion' against the alleged assassin.
His lawyers also recently unveiled a new strategy ahead of his murder trial that would see them deploy a psychiatric defense.
They presented the defense at a pretrial hearing in June, according to presiding judge Gregory Carro. They said they plan to argue that he was 'extremely emotionally disturbed' at the time of the alleged killing.
In response, Carro has ordered the defense to produce Mangione's psychiatric records immediately and to unseal records from a secret hearing two weeks prior.
Mangione's most recent court hearing on Tuesday resulted in a judge ruling that the jury for his trial will be anonymous because of the high-profile nature of the case.
Since his capture, Mangione has gone on to attract a large fan base - mainly of women - who show up to court in support of the alleged killer
Since his capture, Mangione has gone on to attract a large fan base - mainly of women - who show up to court in support of the alleged killer.
An online defense fund for him has raised more than $1.5 million since his arrest in December 2024. He has also received a significant amount of fan mail and emails while locked away inside Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.
For his trial, jurors' names and personal information will remain a secret from the public, the judge ruled, adding that both the defense and prosecution need to come up with questions for prospective jurors.
That questionnaire will determine how much possible jurors know about the case, their experience with the law, and more factors, NBC News reported. The judge will have the final say on what they are asked.
The judge also acknowledged the number of people expected to be allowed in the main courtroom, and what should be done about the large crowd.
More than 80 news outlets, including independent journalists and major publications, are set to cover the trial.
Similar to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' blockbuster trial, there will be an overflow room for Mangione's state trial, the judge ruled.
Mangione did not speak during his recent hearing.
This is breaking news... updates to follow.
