A 36-year-old man from Minnesota was arrested in New York after allegedly trying to free inmate Luigi Mangione from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn by posing as an FBI agent, officials said.
The suspect, identified as Mark Anderson, arrived at the federal facility and told officers he had a judge-signed court order authorizing the release of an inmate in custody. When questioned, Anderson produced a Minnesota driver’s license and asserted that he was carrying weapons. A search of his bag revealed a barbecue fork and a pizza-cutter-style blade.
Anderson was taken into custody and charged with impersonating a federal law enforcement officer after prison staff quickly recognized the claims were false. He was ordered held without bail following a court appearance in Brooklyn.
The person Anderson allegedly tried to secure the release of — Luigi Mangione — remains detained at the Brooklyn facility while awaiting both state and federal trials in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the murder charges and is scheduled for jury selection in his federal case later this year, with additional proceedings anticipated in state court.
Authorities say the incident was a failed and unauthorized attempt to interfere with a federal detention order, and investigations into Anderson’s actions continue as the legal process moves forward.