Luigi Mangione Expected to Plead Guilty to Federal Stalking Charges

Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to federal stalking charges connected to the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Mangione is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court Friday morning. However, sources told NBC News that negotiations between Mangione's attorneys and federal prosecutors are still ongoing, and nothing is final until Mangione enters a plea in court.

The possible agreement comes nearly two years after Thompson was fatally shot on a New York City street, triggering a nationwide manhunt. Mangione was arrested days later at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee alerted police to a customer who appeared to match the description of the suspect.

Police say a weapon was later found in Mangione's backpack and that shell casings matched evidence from the New York crime scene. Investigators also recovered writings that prosecutors say expressed anger toward the private health care industry.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, including state murder and weapons charges. His state trial is scheduled to begin next month.

A federal guilty plea could complicate the future of the state case because of New York's double jeopardy protections. Any federal agreement would also have to address potential sentencing consequences.

Former federal prosecutor Berit Berger said the federal judge will have significant information to consider during sentencing, including the circumstances surrounding Mangione's arrest and the allegations against him.

Mangione could face a lengthy federal sentence, while the state murder case carries its own potential penalties if it proceeds.

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