A 36-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly impersonating an FBI agent in an attempt to secure the release of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in 2024.
According to a criminal complaint, Mark Anderson went to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where Mangione is being held, and claimed he was a federal agent. Anderson allegedly told jail staff that he had documents “signed by a judge” authorising Mangione’s release.
While the complaint does not officially name Mangione, a law enforcement source confirmed to the BBC that Anderson was attempting to free him.
Anderson appeared in court on Thursday but has not yet entered a plea. The BBC has reached out to an attorney believed to be representing him.
Authorities say Anderson approached the jail’s intake area on Wednesday and told officers he was an FBI agent. When asked to show credentials, he reportedly provided a Minnesota driver’s licence instead and claimed he was carrying weapons. Investigators say he also displayed and threw several documents at jail staff.
Bureau of Prisons officials detained Anderson and searched his bag, where they found a large two-pronged barbecue-style fork and a tool resembling a pizza cutter.
According to a law enforcement source, Anderson had recently travelled from Mankato, Minnesota, to New York City for a job opportunity and had been working at a local pizzeria. He has been charged with impersonating a law enforcement officer.
Mangione has been held at the Brooklyn facility 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 connection with the killing and has pleaded not guilty.
Since his arrest, Mangione has gained a significant following online and among supporters who attend his court hearings. The case has also sparked broader debate in the United States about healthcare costs.
Jury selection for Mangione’s federal trial is currently scheduled to begin in September.