Overview
- Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2024, has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed in Brooklyn awaiting trial.
- John H. Richardson released Luigi: The Making and the Meaning, which examines Mangione’s online persona, intellectual influences, and the forces fueling his popularity.
- Reporting notes Mangione praised Ted Kaczynski’s manifesto as “prescient,” a detail Richardson contextualizes through his own past correspondence with Kaczynski.
- Coverage describes an entrenched fandom that includes more than 28,000 legal‑defense donations, courtroom applause, viral merch, and even a satirical musical expanded to a larger venue.
- Articles cite an Emerson poll reporting that 41% of 18‑ to 29‑year‑olds found killing a CEO at least somewhat acceptable, highlighting broader concerns about growing tolerance for political violence.