...
By Nick Mordowanec
Staff Writer
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A crowdfunding website has seen donations pour in for accused murderer Luigi Mangione after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the death penalty is being sought in his legal case.
Why It Matters
The case surrounding Luigi Mangione, 26, has drawn national attention due to his alleged act and put a larger lens on the healthcare industry in the United States.
Read More on U.S.
What To Know
While crowd-funding sites like GoFundMe have disallowed any fundraisers to be set up to financially benefit Mangione and/or his legal efforts, other sites like GiveSendGo have remained up and running.
...
One campaign created by The December 4th Legal Committee has a $1 million fundraising goal, with money going to his legal team handling three separate criminal cases:
- People of the State of New York v Luigi Mangione
- United States of America versus Luigi Nicholas Mangione
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania versus Luigi Nicholas Mangione
Newsweek reached out to the committee for comment.
As of 1:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 1, donations exceeded $785,750. A flurry of new donations came in after Bondi announced that the Department of Justice was seeking the death penalty for the accused.
Some of the new comments accompanying various monetary donations include the following:
"Prosecution sure is going out of their way to show that billionaires are more important than the rest of us."
"Pam Bondi just announced that she will be seeking the death penalty. This is the most backwards response imaginable. The people are crying out for relief from medical servitude and the Trump administration keeps doubling down on the oppression."
"Death penalty is inhumane & the state shouldn't be making a political statement out of ending someone's life!"
"Today's news is both disheartening and outrageous. Seeking the death penalty for a man who is presumed innocent is a blatant abuse of power and corruption of justice. He deserves a fair trial."
"Absolutely disgusting that they are seeking the death penalty in this case. I feel sick to my stomach. FREE LUIGI!"
"Pam Bondi, this donation is for you! FREE LUIGI!"
Unlike crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe, GiveSendGo has allowed the pro-Mangione page to stay up.
Alex Shipley, communications director for GiveSendGo, told Newsweek that the company's mission has always been to provide a platform for people to raise support during challenging times, regardless of circumstances.
"GiveSendGo operates with a principle of not preemptively determining guilt or innocence," Shipley said. "Our platform does not adjudicate legal matters or the validity of causes. Instead, we allow campaigns to remain live unless they violate the specific terms outlined in our terms of use. Importantly, we do allow campaigns for legal defense funds, as we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to access due process.
"We understand the concerns raised by such campaigns and take these matters seriously. When campaigns are reported, our team conducts a thorough review to ensure they comply with our policies."
The onus is ultimately on those who donate based on "their own informed decisions," he added.
Who Is Luigi Mangione?
Mangione, originally from Maryland, is currently incarcerated without bond at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, for allegedly shooting and killing former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
Does New York Have the Death Penalty?
New York does not have the death penalty for state charges. In 2004, criminal punishment was abolished in the state following a statute being declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals.
However, federal prosecutors can still seek capital punishment under specific statutes that apply nationwide. In Mangione's case, the federal charges include murder committed with a firearm and interstate stalking resulting in death—crimes that fall under the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994.
Who are Luigi Mangione's Parents?
Luigi's father, Louis Mangione, known as Lou, has managed the family's business empire that was founded by his late father, Nicholas Mangione—an Italian immigrant from Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood.
He built a successful business portfolio that included the Hayfields Country Club, Lorien Health Services, Turf Valley Resort, and the conservative radio station WCBM. Luigi took over the business following his father's death in 2008.
Kathleen Mangione has supported Baltimore-area hospitals and carried a low profile compared to other family members. She was the first to report her son missing in July 2024 to the San Francisco Police Department after she hadn't heard from him.
Evidence Against Luigi Mangione: What We Know
Police have claimed that Mangione had a 9 mm handgun with him that matched the firearm used in Thompson's death, in addition to a fake ID and notebook containing a so-called manifesto written in repudiation of the health insurance industry and wealthy individuals associated with it.
What Federal and State Charges Is Luigi Mangione Facing?
Mangione has been charged in both New York and Pennsylvania for state and federal charges, including first-degree murder, illegal weapons possession, forgery, and falsifying his identity to law enforcement.
The state charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to a state indictment and has not entered a plea to the federal charges. Authorities expect the state case to occur first, according to the Associated Press.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a press release: "Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."
What Happens Next
The court will give prosecutors the opportunity to respond.
Update 4/2/25, 10:58 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Alex Shipley of GiveSendGo.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines