The Luigi Mangione saga continues as ‘Wanted’ posters appear in NYC featuring surprising faces

The media frenzy around the murder of Brian Thompson has caused alarm for C-Suites across the country, with new Wanted signs in New York City doing little to quell concerns.

Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot dead last week in Manhattan, with Luigi Mangione identified as the suspected killer. Considered by some as an act of anti-capitalism or retribution for a failing healthcare system, Thompson’s death has made Mangione something of a social justice martyr, to the point where death threats are now being aimed towards other notable CEOs on Wanted posters that have sprung up around NYC. Footage of the posters has been shared on social media, locating them all over Manhattan including near Canal and Centre Streets. 

Some posters warned that CEOs “should not feel safe,” and include the phrases “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” — the same words inscribed on bullet casings found at the scene of Thompson’s murder. Some names and faces that appeared on the Wanted posters included Heather Cianfrocco, the CEO of OptumHealth, and Andrew Witty, a high-ranking colleague of Thompson’s at UnitedHealthcare. Earlier this week, Witty said he would increase security at UnitedHealthcare sites in response to Thompson’s killing. The targets also extended beyond healthcare with the CEO of Goldman Sachs, Michael M. Solomon, also appearing on a Wanted poster near the investment bank’s New York offices. 

Harrowingly, the image on Thompson’s poster featured a red X mark covering his face. According to Fortune, authorities are taking the threats seriously, and have warned executives to be on high alert for potential copycat killings. The Wanted posters have reportedly been taken down, but the threats of violence have proliferated on social media, according to ABC News. Sharing a similar sentiment, these so-called “hitlists” likewise name several high-ranking CEOs and issue warnings about their safety, and the circulation of these posts is currently being investigated by authorities. 

Fortune also reports that major companies have removed online information about their executives in the wake of Thompson’s murder, with one source saying the “current climate feels much more heated.” It’s likely that the motive behind Thompson’s killing has fuelled a climate of anti-corporatism. A handwritten note — dubbed a “manifesto” by some — was found in Mangione’s possession at the time of his arrest in Pennsylvania earlier this week. It included quotes expressing “ill will toward corporate America” and how “these parasites simply had it coming.” 

Meanwhile, the discovery of Monopoly money in a nearby backpack believed to belong to the killer has been taken as a message around the monopolization of healthcare, with the industry’s alleged mistreatment of one of Mangione’s relatives thought to be the source of his allegedly murderous grievances. The Wanted posters also appear to be a byproduct of the support Mangione has found online. 

Broad swathes of the internet have rallied behind the suspect as a reaction to both his appearance and for his supposed social cause, with hostility leveled by the public against the McDonald’s where Mangione was arrested and the employee who reported him to authorities. As a result of his popularity, Mangione’s X account received a verified blue checkmark, while his supporters have raised tens of thousands of dollars for his defense fund. Public interest in the case has made Mangione something of an internet sensation, inspiring internet sleuths and prompting talk of a television adaptation.