Mark Anderson, a 36-year-old from Minnesota, was arrested and charged with pretending to be an FBI agent after attempting to release Luigi Mangione from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Anderson arrived at the federal jail on Wednesday evening and claimed to have a court order for Mangione’s release, but only produced a Minnesota driver’s license as identification.
The big picture: He allegedly told Bureau of Prisons officers he had weapons in his bag and threw paperwork at them, which reportedly contained legal claims against the Justice Department.
- A search of Anderson’s backpack uncovered a large barbecue-style fork and a circular steel blade.
- Anderson had recently traveled to New York for a job opportunity that fell through and was working at a pizzeria prior to his arrest; any personal connection to Mangione remains unclear.
What we’re watching: Anderson faces one federal count of impersonating a US government officer and was scheduled to appear in Brooklyn federal court Thursday afternoon.
Driving the news: Luigi Mangione has been jailed since his December 2024 arrest for the suspected murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and is facing both federal and state murder charges.
- Mangione has pleaded not guilty; the federal trial’s timeline depends on whether the Justice Department pursues the death penalty, with jury selection planned for September 8.
