Was Evidence Planted on Luigi Mangione the Day He Was Arrested? Here's What We Know

The murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson has become fuel for the conspiracy fires. After the 50-year-old was killed while walking to the New York Hilton Midtown to attend an investors' conference, videos of the incident as well as a suspect began circulating online. Soon there were images of said masked suspect, whose identifying features — his eyebrows — were the focus of much discussion.

After Luigi Mangione was arrested and charged in connection to Thompson's murder, conspiracy-lovers began comparing his eyebrows to those of the masked man who was seen at a hostel prior to the killing. According to WIRED, there is a Mangione subreddit devoted to his perfectly manicured brows, which many claim are nothing like the masked man's. Speaking of yet-to-be-proven ideas, did you hear the one about evidence being planted on Mangione? Read on for more details.

During his first court appearance in December 2024, Mangione disputed two pieces of evidence allegedly found on him after police took him into custody at a McDonald's in Altoona, Penn. Prosecutors said there was "about $10,000 — $8,000 in U.S. dollars and then $2,000 in foreign currency that was found on his person," reported CNN, via the Washington Examiner. They also claimed he had a Faraday bag, which is used to block cell phones. The prosecution alleged this indicated criminal activity.

Following those remarks, Mangione said he wished to make two corrections. "I don’t know where any of that money came from — I’m not sure if it was planted," he said. Regarding his bag, Mangione said it's "waterproof, so I don’t know about criminal sophistication." He was then ordered to be held without bai, and is currently awaiting trial. In a subsequent hearing, Mangione's lawyer suggested police violated his rights during the arrest.

Blair County defense attorney Thomas Dickey, who is representing Mangione in Pennsylvania, says Altoona Police violated his rights by illegally detaining him, per WJAC. In a 23-page court filing, Dickey alleges that Mangione was cornered by police inside the McDonald's, and they kept him there simply because he "looked suspicious."

The document also says that Mangione was illegally questioned by officers before they allegedly conducted an illegal "pat down." His backpack was reportedly seized by police, which resulted in a search which and the "discovery of multiple fake IDs and a loaded, 3-D printed weapon, which allegedly matched the gun used in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson."

Perhaps the most damning accusation of all is the fact that Dickey claimed it took police more than 15 minutes to explain he was under police investigation. During that time, Mangione was allegedly never told his Miranda Rights. While in custody, Mangione was apparently asked if he wanted to speak with police, and he shook his head no. Despite that, police allegedly continued questioning him before placing Mangione in handcuffs and repacking his backpack.