Minnesota Man Arrested for Impersonating FBI Agent in Apparent Attempt to Free Luigi Mangione from Brooklyn Jail

Brooklyn, New York — In a bizarre and swiftly thwarted incident late Wednesday evening, a 36-year-old man from Mankato, Minnesota, was arrested at the Metropolitan Detention Center after allegedly posing as an FBI agent and claiming to possess a judicial order for the release of high-profile inmate Luigi Mangione.

Mark Anderson approached the facility's intake area around 6:50 p.m. on January 28, 2026, identifying himself as a federal agent armed with paperwork "signed by a judge" authorizing the immediate release of a specific detainee, according to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Law enforcement sources confirmed the target was Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a midtown Manhattan shooting on December 4, 2024.

When Bureau of Prisons officers requested proper federal credentials, Anderson reportedly produced only a Minnesota driver's license. He then allegedly threw a stack of documents at the staff and claimed to be carrying weapons. A subsequent search of his bag uncovered a barbecue fork and a circular steel blade resembling a small pizza cutter wheel, items cited in the complaint.

Anderson was taken into custody on the spot and charged with impersonating a federal officer. He is expected to make an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court, though details on legal representation were not immediately available.

The episode unfolded against the backdrop of Mangione's ongoing legal battles. The Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges in Thompson's killing, which prosecutors have described as an act tied to grievances against the health insurance industry. Mangione was apprehended days after the shooting at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center—a facility also known for housing notable figures such as Sean "Diddy" Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried—while awaiting trials.

Prosecutors in the state case recently pushed for a July 1 trial date, while the federal proceedings have jury selection tentatively set for September 8, with ongoing debates over the potential pursuit of the death penalty. Mangione's supporters, some sporting green attire in reference to the video game character Luigi and carrying "Free Luigi" slogans, have maintained a visible presence at court hearings.

Anderson reportedly traveled from Mankato—roughly 67 miles southwest of Minneapolis—to New York after a job opportunity fell through and had been working at a pizzeria in the interim, according to a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The failed attempt highlights the intense public fascination surrounding Mangione's case, which has drawn criticism of the health care system alongside widespread condemnation of the alleged crime. Authorities have provided no further motive for Anderson's actions, and the investigation remains ongoing.

17GEN4.com