Multiple donors who collectively contributed $7,000 to a GiveSendGo fundraiser for Luigi Mangione’s legal defense are now requesting refunds as Mangione continues his legal battle following the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Newsweek has reached out to GiveSendGo representatives via email for their comments on the matter.
Luigi Mangione, 26, faces charges of murder along with several other federal and state offenses
To date, over 8,000 individuals have donated more than $223,800 to the GiveSendGo campaign established for Mangione, which initially aimed to raise $500,000. Luigi Mangione, 26, faces charges of murder along with several other federal and state offenses related to the December 4 shooting death of Thompson. Despite his legal troubles, Mangione has garnered a significant following, particularly among those critical of the American healthcare system.
Current Developments
The December 4 Legal Committee, a group of 15 volunteers from across the country who organized the fundraiser, provided an update on Wednesday regarding a $7,000 reduction in the fundraiser’s balance.
Organizers shared the following statement from GiveSendGo:
“The decrease in funds raised is due to donors either disputing their donations to the campaign or requesting refunds. We have no control over donations once they are disputed. For refunded donations, when a donor requests a refund, we manually review their donation along with the reason for the refund request.”
“If the request is deemed reasonable, we will process the refund to avoid a dispute. This is because a dispute would result in the donation amount being withdrawn from the campaign’s balance, in addition to a $15 dispute fee.”
The largest refund requested was a $2,500 donation made on December 24, while the smallest refunds involved multiple $5 donations made on various dates.
Public Reactions
Comedian Bill Burr commented on the situation during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday: “Free Luigi! I love how they acted surprised. ‘Why did that happen?’ He wrote on the bullets why it happened.”
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg told ABC News in December: “I sit across the table from families who’ve had a loved one killed. And to think of people celebrating that … is beyond comprehension to me.”
Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro also weighed in during December: “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this: He is no hero.”
Current Status of Luigi Mangione
Mangione is currently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, the same federal jail where Sean “Diddy” Combs awaits trial in his sex trafficking case.
Trial Schedule
Court proceedings for Mangione have been postponed, with both the prosecution and defense agreeing to new dates in mid-February.
Future Proceedings
Prosecutors have indicated that the federal and state cases against Mangione will proceed concurrently, with the state charges likely going to trial first. Mangione’s next appearance in state court is scheduled for February 21, while both cases continue to move forward in tandem.