Authorities have apprehended a man accused of impersonating a federal agent in an alleged attempt to secure the release of Luigi Mangione, who is charged with the 2024 murder of the United Healthcare CEO.
According to a criminal complaint, Mark Anderson, 36, allegedly posed as an FBI agent at the New York detention facility where Mangione is being held. He purportedly claimed to possess court-ordered documentation authorizing Mangione’s release.
While the complaint does not explicitly identify Mangione, a law enforcement source confirmed to the BBC that Anderson’s alleged objective was to free him.
Anderson appeared in court on Thursday but has yet to enter a plea. The BBC has reached out to an attorney reportedly representing him for comment.
The criminal complaint details that Anderson approached the intake area of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, identifying himself to officers as an FBI agent with paperwork “signed by a judge” to authorize the release of an inmate.
Upon being asked for credentials, Anderson presented a Minnesota driver’s license, asserted he was armed, and “displayed and threw” what authorities described in the complaint as “numerous documents” at jail personnel.
Bureau of Prisons officials subsequently detained Anderson and conducted a search of his bag, discovering a large “barbeque type fork” with two prongs and a tool resembling a pizza cutter.
A law enforcement source indicated that the suspect had traveled to New York City from Mankato, Minnesota, for a job opportunity and had been employed at a local pizzeria.
Anderson is currently facing a charge of impersonating a federal officer.
Mangione has been incarcerated at the Brooklyn facility since 2024. He was apprehended in Pennsylvania following a multi-state manhunt and subsequently extradited to New York.
He faces both state and federal charges in connection with the death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Since his arrest, Mangione has garnered a significant following of supporters, both online and at his court appearances. The case has also ignited a nationwide debate regarding healthcare costs in the United States.
Jury selection for Mangione’s highly anticipated federal trial is currently scheduled for September.
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