Why Did Luigi Mangione Allegedly Have Monopoly Money? There Are a Few Theories

A backpack allegedly belonging to the suspect responsible for gunning down and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was recovered two days after the incident by the NYPD. Inside, authorities found two items: a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money, according to ABC News. The backpack was discovered near the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, at a time when no suspect had been taken into custody.

A few days later, Luigi Mangione was arrested and charged with the murder, among other charges. The backpack is now believed to have belonged to Luigi, and theories as to why it was filled with Monopoly money are starting to surface. Here are some potential reasons he might have (allegedly) been carrying it.

The person responsible for killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO, now believed to be Luigi, allegedly left behind a book bag stuffed with Monopoly money — an unusual item to find in the possession of someone who just committed murder. Experts have weighed in on the matter, sharing their theories with The Daily Beast. One expert, Dr. Carole Lieberman, a psychiatrist and trial expert, believes the move was intentional.

Dr. Lieberman explained that the killer may have left multiple clues to send a message, referencing the inscribed shell casings that were initially thought to say "deny, defend, depose" but were later confirmed to read "deny, delay, depose," per NBC News.

"The Monopoly money conveys messages, both that UnitedHealthcare is a ripoff that steals money from patients to pay its executives millions, and that it is itself a monopoly," Lieberman said. She further suggested, "He may have planned to scatter the Monopoly money around the CEO’s body after shooting him, but forgot to take the bills out of his backpack."

For reference, UnitedHealth Group has seen its net income soar over the years. In 2023, the company reported a net income of $22.3 billion, following $20.6 billion in 2022 and $17.3 billion in 2021, according to Forbes. However, like many other large corporations, UnitedHealth has faced accusations of wrongfully denying claims or underpaying on them, leaving sick and needy patients burdened with significant financial strain.

If Luigi is indeed the gunman, it's not surprising that the string of clues he allegedly left behind were meticulously thought out. After all, he wasn’t exactly a fool. He graduated valedictorian from high school and attended an Ivy League college, so it's not far-fetched to think he used the Monopoly money to send a message, rather than just for amusement.

According to X (formerly Twitter) user @dagenmcdowell, "The significance of the Monopoly money in the backpack of suspect Luigi Mangione: The board game was first created to illustrate the evils of capitalism. The Landlord’s Game was invented by Lizzie Magie. The suspect’s manifesto displays ‘ill will toward corporate America.'" Simply put, the X user said it "fits."

Another user couldn't help but point out the irony of Luigi allegedly carrying Monopoly money in his backpack and then being caught eating at McDonald's (he was having a hashbrown, for those curious), which hosts its own Monopoly game each year.