Man charged after 'posing as FBI agent' armed with pizza cutter in bid to break Luigi Mangione out of prison
Mark Anderson reportedly told prison officers he was armed, while having a barbecue fork and pizza cutter in his bag
A man who posed as an FBI agent in a bid to break Luigi Mangione out of jail after turning up to the prison with fake documents.
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Mangione, 27, is accused of killing healthcare boss Brian Thompson, of UnitedHealthcare, and is currently being remanded inside the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York.
But on Thursday, it was revealed that 36-year-old Mark Anderson allegedly arrived at the prison ordering Mangoine's release.
Court documents show that Anderson is accused of posing as an FBI officer, while claiming to have paperwork "signed by a judge" authorising the release of an inmate, although Mangione is not directly named in the document.
Read more: Judge drops terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione over killing of healthcare CEO
According to reports, Anderson is said to have shown a Minnesota driver’s licence and thrown "numerous documents" at prison officers.
He also allegedly told them he was armed and had a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter in his bag.
Anderson has now been charged with impersonating a federal agent.
The alleged failed attempt happened hours after the Manhattan district attorney's office sent a letter urging the judge in Mangione's case, Gregory Carro, to set a trial date of July 1.
He is due to appear in court on Friday for a conference in his federal case, where it is expected to hear soon whether prosecutors can seek the death penalty and whether evidence in the case against him can be used in court.
It comes after Magione's team continue to fight to suppress evidence presented by the FBI over what they call an 'illegal' backpack search, after officers failed to secure the correct warrant.
Meanwhile, Anderson is expected to appear in court later on Thursday, ABC reports.
Mr Thompson, 50, was shot dead in December 2024 as he walked to a New York City hotel for his company's annual investor conference.
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, was arrested five days later in Pennsylvania.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Mr Thompson from behind as he arrived at the meeting.
Police at the time said "delay", "deny" and "depose" were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.