A million-dollar milestone has been crossed in the legal defense of Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
On May 6, Mangione’s 27th birthday, supporters celebrated as his GiveSendGo legal fund officially exceeded $1 million in grassroots donations. According to a press release from “The December 4 Legal Committee,” more than 28,000 contributions have poured in since the fund was launched in December. The median donation is said to be $20.
“Even in a worsening economy, everyday people facing financial hardships of their own continue to provide monetary support for Mr. Mangione,” the committee’s presser said. “Surpassing the one million dollar benchmark represents a step forward in pursuing justice for Mr. Mangione.”
Some marked the occasion by donating $27 in honor of Mangione’s birthday.
“Happy Birthday to you, Luigi,” one donor named Zan wrote alongside their gift. “We are still here standing by you… You are a stellar soul, a gift to us all and the ripple you have made has permanently changed the trajectory of this universe.”
Another donor, under the name “Jury Nullification Canada,” offered a more fiery note: “Ahhhhh…we can share a HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF that it’s over 1M, BUTTT Luigi will need SOOO MUCH MORE $$$ to fight the monsters who run the country & law… The inmates are running the asylum.”
The Dallas Express previously reported on the fund’s rapid growth. As of March 25, it had raised over $758,000, surpassing its previous $500,000 goal.
Other defendants with large online followings, such as Karmelo Anthony and Kilmar Abrego Garcia, have also benefited from crowdfunding but remain behind Mangione’s total.
Notably, the Mangione fund has now displayed the same irregular donation pattern previously observed by The Dallas Express in the Anthony fund: multiple donations made in rapid succession using identical messages, small variances in amount, and different names.
Despite the outpouring of financial and moral support, Mangione faces formidable legal challenges. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is seeking the death penalty against Mangione.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again,” the Attorney General said in an April 1 press release.
The committee has called the charges “an insult to the American people” and described the prosecution as a weaponization of the legal system in defense of corporate elites.
The December 4 Legal Committee says the money raised will support Mangione’s defense in several pending criminal cases across state and federal jurisdictions.
Mangione was arrested in December 2024 in the fatal shooting of Thompson after a multi-state manhunt.