close
close
The Luigi Mangione Defense Fund is raising over ,000 in donations

Donations for the legal defense of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, topped $55,000 on Thursday, while an outpouring of online support for the suspect shows no sign showed an increase.

The fundraiser, launched on the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo, was created by a group that called itself “The 4th Legal Committee,” an apparent reference to the day Thompson was shot in midtown Manhattan.

“We are not here to celebrate violence, but we believe in the constitutional right to fair legal representation,” the website says. The campaign’s goal is to raise $200,000, and as of Thursday afternoon it had raised over $56,000.

“Hot Assassin”

Judging by the flood of comments praising Mangione on social media sites, his rise to folk hero status can be attributed to two main factors: anger at the American health care system and Mangione’s good looks.

Trusted news and daily delights straight to your inbox

See for yourself – The Yodel is your destination for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.

“Luigi’s actions represent a strong rejection of a system that massively profits but does not care about the American people,” an anonymous donor wrote on the crowdfunding site. “Our deaths, our pain, our cries for help are constantly silenced and ignored as we work multiple jobs just to afford to live. This is not about political parties. It’s about CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS. FREE LUIGI.”

“Admiration for the courageous and revolutionary Luigi Mangione, who dared to challenge the injustices of the healthcare system and become a voice for the oppressed,” wrote a person who identified himself as Emiliano GC.

Another message accompanying a $6 donation from a person who did not leave their real name said: “Thank you for being brave. Someone had to give the wake-up call. Healthcare should be free and fair, not a financial trap designed to make us sick from stress! Free Luigi! Free universal healthcare for all!”

After the New York Police Department distributed a photo of Mangione smiling with his mask down and additional photos of him hiking shirtless in Hawaii were distributed, social media was flooded with messages left by users describing him as “the “hot assassins”.

Back problems

Some donors to Mangione’s legal defense fund have also identified with the pain he suffered from a back condition called spondylolisthesis.

“As a fellow spondylolisthesis patient who is also insured with United Healthcare, I can understand what you have been through and what has brought you to your current situation,” wrote an anonymous donor who left $20. “I was refused surgery for almost two years. I even had to pay out of pocket for my diagnostic MRI because they said it wasn’t “necessary.” Thank you for your courage and sacrifice in bringing these atrocities to light.”

Mangione reportedly aggravated his back condition while surfing in Hawaii in 2022 and underwent surgery in early 2023. He initially described in a thread on Reddit that the surgery had left him pain-free, but in May of this year he complained that most doctors were “basically worthless,” according to a now-deleted post on X.

However, on Thursday, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione was not insured with UnitedHealthcare.

“We have no indication that he was ever a customer of United Healthcare, but he mentions that it is the fifth largest company in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. That may be why he targeted this company,” Kenny said in an interview with NBC New York.

The kindness of strangers

On Tuesday, Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, said he had received emails offering to pay him to defend his client, but he was not inclined to accept them.

“To be honest, I probably wouldn’t do that,” Dickey told CNN. “I just don’t feel comfortable there. Well, I don’t know. I didn’t think about it that much.”

Although Mangione comes from a wealthy Maryland family, it is unclear whether she will step forward to pay his legal bills.

On the crowdfunding page, organizers say they will redirect money raised for Mangione’s defense if he declines.

“All proceeds will be transferred directly to Luigi or, if he chooses to decline the funds, they will instead be donated to legal funds for other political prisoners in the United States,” the website says, without specifying who those other recipients might be .

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *