‘Contemporary folk hero’: UnitedHealthcare CEO murder accused Luigi Mangione’s legal fund surpasses $1 million amid growing cult-like support

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has seen his legal defence fund soar past $1 million—fuelled by tens of thousands of donations from supporters who view him as a political symbol rather than a cold-blooded killer.As of Tuesday, Mangione’s 27th birthday, the GiveSendGo campaign for his defence had raised over $1.04 million through more than 28,000 contributions, reported NBC News. The average donation hovered around $27, with many supporters giving that specific amount to mark his birthday, according to a press release from the December 4 Legal Committee.The largest individual donation, a $30,000 contribution from someone named "John R", was made just hours before his birthday. “That denial of equal justice under law is class-driven... the public isn’t buying it,” the donor wrote, describing the case as politically charged, Newsweek reported.Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, is facing multiple charges, including federal murder through use of a firearm, which could carry the death penalty. Prosecutors allege he shot Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as the CEO was heading to a UnitedHealth investor conference. Authorities say the killing was deliberate, calculated, and ideologically motivated. Mangione was captured five days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, carrying a loaded firearm, silencer, and a notebook expressing animosity toward the insurance industry.In court filings, the killing was described as an act to “amplify an ideological message.” US attorney general Pam Bondi has called the attack a “cold-blooded assassination” and directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty under US President Trump’s directive to crack down on violent crime. “Brian Thompson—an innocent man and father of two young children—was murdered in a premeditated act that shocked America,” Bondi said in a statement last month.Despite the gravity of the allegations, Mangione has cultivated a fervent fan base. Supporters flooded his birthday with messages of devotion. “Happy 27th Birthday to the man, the myth, the legend. You are so loved,” wrote one donor alongside a $27 contribution, New York Post reported. Another said, “This is my 7th donation... there is an ARMY behind you.”Sam Beard, spokesperson for the December 4 Legal Committee, said the milestone reflected growing public resonance with Mangione’s story. “He has become a contemporary folk hero, understood by millions to be a brave, righteous American concerned with the lived experience of the common man,” Beard said, according to the New York Post.Organisers of the campaign now aim to raise $1.5 million, stating that the funds will be used to cover the costs of Mangione’s three pending legal cases, in both New York and Pennsylvania, as per NBC News.A federal judge has ordered that all discovery materials be turned over by May 27, with Mangione’s next state court appearance set for June 26 and a federal court date scheduled for December 5, Newsweek added. He remains in federal custody in Brooklyn and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.