
Crime
Identity theft Rate Anderson, 36, of Mankato, Minnesota, turned into arrested and charged with impersonating an FBI agent in a foiled portray to free Mangione.

By MICHAEL R. SISAK, Associated Press
January 29, 2026
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NEW YORK (AP) — A man falsely claiming to be an FBI agent confirmed as much as a federal reformatory in Fresh York Metropolis on Wednesday evening and told officers he had a court expose to liberate Luigi Mangione, authorities said.
Rate Anderson, 36, of Mankato, Minnesota, turned into arrested and charged with impersonating an FBI agent in a foiled portray to free Mangione from the Metropolitan Detention Center, the notorious Brooklyn lockup where he’s held while awaiting reveal and federal execute trials in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
A criminal complaint filed against Anderson did no longer title the person he attempted to free. A legislation enforcement official unsleeping of the matter confirmed it turned into Mangione. The official turned into no longer authorized to talk publicly and did so on situation of anonymity.
Anderson is predicted to savor an preliminary look Thursday in Brooklyn federal court. On-line court info did no longer contain knowledge on a criminal official who could well maybe well talk on his behalf. A message attempting to regain observation turned into left with a spokesperson for Mangione’s correct crew.
In response to the criminal complaint, Anderson approached the reformatory intake apartment round 6:50 p.m. Wednesday and told uniformed reformatory officers that he turned into an FBI agent in possession of paperwork “signed by a pick” authorizing the liberate of a reveal person in custody on the reformatory.
When the officers asked for his federal credentials, Anderson confirmed them a Minnesota driver’s license, threw a model of paperwork at them and claimed to savor weapons, the criminal complaint said. Officers searched Anderson’s regain and realized a barbecue fork and a round steel blade, the complaint said. In a describe incorporated in the complaint, the blade perceived to be a miniature pizza cutter wheel.
Anderson had traveled to Fresh York from Mankato, about 67 miles (107 kilometers) southwest of Minneapolis, and turned into working at a pizzeria after one other job replacement fell through, the legislation enforcement official said.
The strive to free Mangione occurred in the end of a severe stretch in his correct circumstances.
Hours sooner than Anderson’s arrest, the The broad apple district attorney’s dwelling of business sent a letter urging the pick in Mangione’s reveal case, Gregory Carro, to space a July 1 trial date.
On Friday, Mangione will be in court for a convention in his federal case. The pick in that case, Margaret Garnett, is predicted to rule soon whether prosecutors can uncover the loss of life penalty and whether they’ll use certain proof against him.
Closing week, Garnett scheduled jury replacement in the federal case for Sept. 8, with the remainder of the trial going down in October or January, looking on whether she permits prosecutors to search out the loss of life penalty.
Mangione has pleaded no longer guilty in both circumstances. The reveal prices raise the replacement of life in reformatory.
An area off célèbre for folks upset with the successfully being insurance coverage alternate, Mangione has attracted legions of supporters, some of whom savor on a standard basis turned into up at his court appearances. Some savor donned green garments, the color long-established by the Mario Bros. video sport personality Luigi, as a image of cohesion, and some savor brought indicators and shirts with slogans similar to “Free Luigi” and “No Loss of life For Luigi Mangione.”
Thompson, 50, turned into killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked to a midtown The broad apple hotel for UnitedHealth Team’s annual investor convention. Surveillance video confirmed a masked gunman taking pictures him from in the abet of. Police dispute “extend,” “remark” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase faded to describe how insurers steer clear of paying claims.
Mangione, a 27-three hundred and sixty five days-old model Ivy League graduate from a prosperous Maryland household, turned into arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of The broad apple.
After several days of court lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Mangione turned into whisked to Fresh York and sent to the Metropolitan Detention Center.
The reformatory is furthermore residence to damaged-down Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his partner, Cilia Flores, who are facing drug trafficking prices. Its damaged-down inmates consist of hip-hop multi-millionaire Sean “Diddy” Combs and cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.
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