Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old prime suspect in the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson case, has become an internet star with viral memes having a field day on the internet.
The story does not end here—there is a cacophony of merchandise boldly bearing the message “Free Luigi” up for sale.
There are also unconfirmed reports of a controversial crowdfunding effort, and copies of Mangione’s handwritten manifesto targeting corporate greed are being distributed and hailed as a symbol of defiance and rebellion.
They are selling Luigi Mangione candles now
pic.twitter.com/Floh75RVvj
— Jon T (@L20231440) December 11, 2024
What was considered, in ordinary circumstances, as a despicable act has metamorphosed into a strange cultural phenomenon—an amalgam of social media madness, public indignation, and unexpected hero worship.
Another product, priced at $26.50 per piece and available on theluminaryandco.com website, is the “Free Luigi Mangione Devotional Prayer Saint Candle.”
The candle is of regular size and features Luigi Mangione in a brown priest’s robe with a green and yellow shawl on his shoulder. It was captioned “Patron Saint of the People.”
There is another candle with the message “Deny Defend Depose Candle,” which ironically features the words engraved on the shell casings found at the site of the shooting. “Deny Defend Depose” is a phrase synonymous with the tactics employed by healthcare insurance providers to deny medical claims of insured persons.
It is also part of the title of the book written by Rutgers University professor emeritus Jay M. Feinman in 2010, Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.
The website also stated that the merchandise would be shipped free across the US and that $5 from every candle sale would go to a fund for Luigi Mangione, who is being held in Altoona Jail until a defense fund is started.
Online shopping platforms like TikTok Shop, Amazon, and Etsy were flooded with merchandise like shirts emblazoned with “Free Luigi” to coffee mugs bearing his mugshot.
However, major online shopping platforms have removed such items from their inventory lists, and Amazon is enforcing a complete ban, stating that it violated its guidelines. Merchandise that glorified violence will not be allowed to be sold on its platform.
Luigi Mangione’s arrest also started a meme fest, including a viral TikTok post forbidding people from wearing green jackets to avoid resembling the suspect.
The suspect was seen wearing a green hooded jacket in his mugshot. Additionally, the Levi’s jacket worn by the suspect became immensely popular, with reports of more than 700 units sold in just 48 hours on Macy’s website before it sold out.
Luigi Mangione, the chief suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was arrested at a McDonald’s outlet on December 9 after one of the employees recognized him and informed the police.
Also Read: Luigi Mangione Case: Viral Social Media Pictures, Tinder, OnlyFans Profiles, TikTok Videos Surface
