Luigi Mangione: FBI impersonation allegation linked to jail release attempt

A man has been arrested in New York after allegedly impersonating a federal agent in an attempt to secure the release of Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson in 2024.

Mark Anderson, 36, is accused of going to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and claiming to be an FBI agent carrying paperwork authorising Mangione’s release, according to a criminal complaint.

While Mangione is not named directly in the filing, a law enforcement source confirmed to the BBC that Anderson was allegedly trying to free him.

What authorities say happened

According to the complaint, Anderson approached the jail’s intake area on Wednesday and told officers he had documents signed by a judge approving the release of an inmate.

When asked to provide credentials, he allegedly presented a Minnesota driver’s licence, claimed he was carrying weapons and threw several documents at detention staff.

Bureau of Prisons officials detained Anderson and searched his bag, where they reportedly found a two-pronged barbecue fork and a tool resembling a pizza cutter.

Charges and court appearance

Anderson appeared before a judge on Thursday but has not entered a plea. The BBC has contacted an attorney believed to be representing him.

He is facing a charge of impersonating a law enforcement officer.

A law enforcement source said Anderson had travelled from Mankato, Minnesota, to New York City for a job opportunity and had been working at a local pizzeria.

Who is Luigi Mangione?

Mangione has been held at the Brooklyn detention centre since 2024. He was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania following a multi-state manhunt and later extradited to New York.

He faces both state and federal charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has pleaded not guilty.

Since his arrest, Mangione has drawn significant attention, with supporters appearing online and at court hearings. The case has also sparked renewed debate in the United States over healthcare costs.

Jury selection in Mangione’s federal trial is currently scheduled for September.