Man poses as FBI agent to try to free Luigi Mangione from jail: Report

ABC News said Mark Anderson, 36, was charged on Thursday with impersonating a federal officer. Authorities say he arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Centre (MDC) in Brooklyn and claimed he had a court order to release Mangione.

Mangione is being held at MDC Brooklyn while he awaits both federal and state trials over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.

Anderson went to the intake area of the jail and said he had documents “signed by a judge” that allowed the release of a specific inmate. The complaint does not name Mangione, but sources told ABC News that Mangione was the person Anderson was trying to free.

Federal prosecutors said that when Bureau of Prisons officers asked Anderson for his credentials, he showed them a Minnesota driving licence and “threw at the BOP officers numerous documents”.

Anderson also told officers he had weapons in his bag. The complaint says the bag contained a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter. Anderson is expected to appear in court later on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Mangione is due back in court on Friday. The judge handling his federal case may decide whether the death penalty will remain an option if he is convicted. The case is unfolding under the current US administration led by US President Donald Trump.