An online fundraiser for suspected UnitedHealthcare gunman Luigi Mangione said that his attorney will accept more than $300,000 in public donations collected toward his legal expenses.
The December 4 Legal Committee, which launched its volunteer-run fundraiser on GiveSendGo immediately following the December attack, announced Monday that his attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, will accept the funds on his behalf.
“Luigi is aware of the fund and very much appreciates the outpouring of support. My client plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him,” Agnifilo said in a statement shared with HuffPost Tuesday. Agnifilo’s office also independently confirmed the announcement.
Mangione faces federal and state charges in Brian Thompson’s shooting death outside of a New York City hotel. Charges filed against him in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested on Dec. 9, have been shelved until the conclusion of his other two cases, the district attorney there has said.
Representatives with the committee said Mangione’s widespread support, with funds from more than 10,000 donors, underscores how many people have felt victimized by the healthcare industry.
“The American private health insurance industry has ruined countless lives by denying people access to basic care and burying families in medical debt. It’s no surprise that Luigi’s alleged actions are understood and supported by tens of millions of hard-working Americans,” said D4 Legal Committee spokesperson Sam Beard.
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Fellow spokesperson Jamie Peck said they hope the movement will lead to broad reform throughout the industry, including the creation of “a humane and rational single-payer system that will provide medical care to all who need it, without caveats, and with no role for those who would enrich themselves through the suffering of others.”
The group encouraged his supporters to “find creative and public ways to advocate for him during his time behind bars, in addition to donating and sending him mail. He loves to receive letters, memes and books.”
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to murder and terrorism charges in New York state. He has yet to enter a plea on the more serious federal charges, which include stalking and murder offenses. These charges could lead to a death penalty sentence.