What's New
Gurwinder Bhogal, a UK-based writer, revealed details of a two-hour video call he had with the suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione before he mysteriously went largely dark for six months.
Newsweek has contacted Mangione's legal team by email for comment.
Why It Matters
Mangione, 26, has polarized the country with some hailing him as a hero for making a statement against the American healthcare system. Others condemn him for his alleged crimes, which could result in life in prison and possibly the death penalty. For his part, Mangione has pleaded "not guilty" in court.
Bhogal, the writer of The Prism newsletter on Substack, has a unique perspective on Mangione having spoken to him at length just months before he fell off the grid and didn't speak to his friends and family, ultimately ending when he allegedly killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024.
On December 23, Bhogal penned an article for The Free Press titled My Conversations with Luigi Mangione.
What To Know
Magione subscribed to Bhogal's newsletter and bought a $200 founding membership to the Substack, which included video calls with Bhogal.
Appearing on The Hill on Friday, Bhogal said Mangione "was very interested in solutions."
"He was generally optimistic. He didn't really, he didn't seem like he was much of a doomer. He seemed like he was actually quite — He did have a somewhat pessimistic worldview, but he also was very interested in actually, in action, he wanted to change things so he wasn't somebody who just was resigned you know to his fate or anything like that."
Bhogal said he and Mangione only briefly talked about the American healthcare system compared to other countries.
"I just remember him saying that the US Healthcare System was expensive and he said that I was lucky to be in Britain because we've got a National Health Service. I remember replying to him that the NHS isn't actually all that great because we have long waiting lists, because when healthcare is free at the point of use, everybody wants to use it, which means there's less health care for everybody."
Bhogal said he "still has trouble" believing Magione allegedly carried out the murder that's captivated the nation and also questions his alleged manifesto.
"The impression that I got of Luigi sort of made it hard for me to believe that he had written that manifesto. I'm not saying he didn't, but it just seems like—If he did write it, then maybe there was something going on in his brain, maybe he was in extreme pain, maybe he was mentally ill," the writer said.
"It's low quality. It's just the words themselves are low quality, but also, it's only 262 words, and I thought that if he was going to do something like this, he would have spent a lot more time writing something substantial," he said.
What People Are Saying
Mangione's lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo, in court: "I am very concerned about my client's right to a fair trial in this case. He is being prejudiced by some statements that are being made by government officials."
New York City Mayor Eric Adams: "I want to thank all the individuals and law enforcement who helped bring this suspect into custody. The NYPD stops at nothing to catch criminals."
President-elect Donald Trump: "I think it's a terrible thing. I think it's really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him."
What Happens Next
Mangione is being held without bail at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center. His next federal court appearance is on January 18, followed by a state court appearance on February 21.
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