Man Fakes FBI Identity to Free Murder Suspect in NYC Jail

A man from Minnesota was arrested Wednesday night for impersonating an FBI agent in a failed attempt to free Luigi Mangione from New York City’s Metropolitan Detention Center.

Mark Anderson, 36, of Mankato, Minnesota, showed up at the federal jail and told officers he had a court order to release Mangione, who is awaiting state and federal murder trials in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

According to court documents, Anderson approached the jail intake area around 6:50 p.m., claiming he had paperwork “signed by a judge” authorizing Mangione’s release. When officers asked for credentials, he showed a Minnesota driver’s license and threw multiple documents at them, claiming he had weapons. A search of his bag revealed a barbecue fork and a small circular steel blade resembling a pizza cutter.

Anderson traveled from Mankato to New York and was reportedly working at a pizzeria after another job opportunity fell through. He is charged with impersonating an FBI agent and is set to appear in Brooklyn federal court Thursday.

Mangione, 27, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, is facing both state and federal murder charges. He allegedly killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, in midtown Manhattan. Surveillance showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, with ammunition marked with phrases mocking how insurers handle claims.

Supporters of Mangione have attended his court appearances, some wearing green in reference to the video game character Luigi, and carrying signs reading “Free Luigi” or “No Death For Luigi Mangione.”

Mangione’s federal case is moving forward, with jury selection scheduled for September 8 and trial expected later this year. State charges carry the possibility of life in prison, while the federal case could involve the death penalty.

The Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn also houses high-profile inmates, including former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as past inmates like Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried.