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In a legal development involving Luigi Mangione, federal authorities arrested a Minnesota man after he allegedly posed as an FBI agent in an attempt to liberate Luigi Mangione from custody. Mangione is the high-profile suspect currently awaiting trial for the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Mark Anderson of Mankato, Minnesota, reportedly walked into the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn claiming to have a court order for Mangione’s immediate release.
According to the criminal complaint, Anderson approached the intake area of the federal facility around 6:50 p.m. and identified himself as a federal agent. He informed uniformed Bureau of Prisons officers that he was in possession of paperwork “signed by a judge” authorizing the release of a specific inmate. While the official court filings did not explicitly name the prisoner, law enforcement sources confirmed to multiple news outlets that Anderson was specifically seeking the release of Mangione.
The attempt quickly unraveled when officers asked for Anderson’s federal credentials. Instead of providing a government ID or badge, Anderson reportedly presented a standard Minnesota driver’s license. He then allegedly threw a stack of documents at the officers—later described by investigators as legal claims against the U.S. Department of Justice—and claimed to be carrying weapons. Upon searching his backpack, officers discovered a large barbecue fork and a circular steel blade resembling a pizza cutter.
Anderson was taken into custody on the spot and has been charged with impersonating a federal officer. Investigation into his background revealed that he had recently traveled to New York for a job opportunity that fell through and had been working at a local pizzeria. Court records also indicate that Anderson has a history of mental illness and had previously been ruled “fully disabled” by the Social Security Administration.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that Luigi Mangione had any prior connection to Anderson or was aware of the attempted “jailbreak.” Mangione remains in custody at the MDC as he prepares for both state and federal trials. Following his initial court appearance on January 29, 2026, Anderson was ordered held without bail.