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By Erin Keller
Reporter (Live News)
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Multiple donors who contributed a total of $7,000 to a GiveSendGo fundraiser for Luigi Mangione's legal fees have asked for their money back as the suspect in the deadly shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson continues his legal fight.
A GiveSendGo spokesperson told Newsweek on Wednesday night that the fundraising amount decreased after the company caught illicit donations from illegitimate donors in a second review of the contributions.
"Fraudulent donations often originate from activities like 'card testing,' where stolen card information is used to make small transactions to verify its validity before being used elsewhere for larger unauthorized purchases. While these donations may initially appear legitimate, passing our first review, they are often flagged during subsequent reviews," the spokesperson said.
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How Many Donations Has Luigi Mangione Received?
Over 8,000 people have donated more than $223,800 toward the GiveSendGo fundraiser created for Mangione with a goal of $500,000. Mangione, 26, is charged with murder and a slew of other federal and state counts in the December 4 shooting death of Thompson.
Mangione has amassed a large fan base, as his supporters have railed against the American health care system.
What To Know
The December 4 Legal Committee, a team of 15 volunteers from around the country who organized the fundraiser, provided an update Wednesday about a $7,000 decrease in the fundraiser balance.
Organizers said GiveSendGo provided them with the following statement which differs from what Newsweek received.
"The reason for the decrease in the funds raised is due to donors either disputing their donation to the campaign or requesting refunds. We have no control over donations when they are disputed. As for the refunded donations, when a donor requests a refund we will manually review their donation, alongside the reason for the refund request."
"If their request is deemed to be within reason, we will refund the donation to avoid a dispute. This is because a dispute would result in the donation amount being withdrawn from the campaign's balance, in addition to a $15 dispute fee."
The largest refund was a $2,500 donation given on December 24. The smallest refunds were multiple $5 donations given on various days.
What People Are Saying
Comedian Bill Burr on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday: "Free Luigi! I love how they acted surprised. 'Why did that happen?' He wrote on the bullets why it happened."
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg to ABC News in December: "I sit across the table from families who've had a loved one killed. And to think of people celebrating that ... is beyond comprehension to me."
Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro in December: "In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this: He is no hero."
Where Is Luigi Mangione Now?
Mangione is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, the same federal jail where Sean "Diddy" Combs awaits trial in his sex trafficking case.
When Does Luigi Mangione's Trial Start?
Court proceedings for Mangione have been postponed, with the prosecution and defense agreeing to new dates in mid-February.
What's Next
Prosecutors have indicated that the federal and state cases will proceed on parallel tracks, with the state charges likely reaching trial first. Mangione's next state court appearance is scheduled for February 21, while both cases move forward in tandem.
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Update 1/16/25 1:40 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from GiveSendGo.
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