Online defense fund for accused CEO killer Mangione tops $1M

ISTANBUL

The online defense fund for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has surpassed $1 million, with the milestone reached Tuesday -- coinciding with Mangione’s 27th birthday.

Currently held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Mangione is preparing for litigation next month. His legal team says he receives “anywhere from 10 to 115 letters per day,” reflecting a growing support base online.

Although without directly addressing the defense fund, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has condemned the online support.

In a December interview with ABC News, Bragg said: “Celebrating murder is abhorrent,” adding that it is “beyond comprehension” for people to rally behind such acts.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges, both state and federal, related to the December killing of Thompson, who was shot outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel in what prosecutors say was a targeted attack.