The chilling emergence of “wanted” posters targeting healthcare executives across New York City has heightened tensions in the wake of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination. The posters, bearing ominous messages and imagery, underline the precarious balance between public outrage over perceived injustices in the healthcare system and the alarming potential for violence.
The posters, plastered on Canal Street and other bustling Manhattan areas, accuse healthcare CEOs of “denying medical care for corporate profit” and declare that “healthcare CEOs should not feel safe.”
The language mirrors sentiments reportedly expressed by Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of Thompson, whose manifesto condemned the American healthcare system for prioritizing profits over care.
Particularly haunting is the inclusion of the phrase “Deny. Defend. Depose.” This chilling trio, linked to Mangione’s manifesto and the bullets found at the crime scene, references a book critical of insurance companies’ practices, amplifying the sense that these acts are part of a broader ideological crusade.
Recognizing the severity of the threat, the NYPD has issued a bulletin warning healthcare executives of the risks. The bulletin highlights online chatter praising Thompson’s assassination, sharing conspiracy theories, and circulating what some users describe as a “hitlist” of other executives.
In response, several health insurance companies have quietly removed images and biographical details of their leadership from public websites, a clear indication of mounting fear.
Mangione, a former Ivy League graduate, has become a lightning rod for discussions about the U.S. healthcare system’s flaws and the dangerous extremes of discontent. Arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a 3D-printed pistol, a silencer, and a manifesto, Mangione’s actions appear to have been meticulously planned.
His manifesto decries the American healthcare system as parasitic, citing high costs, poor outcomes, and corporate greed as motivations for his alleged crime.
While he expressed regret for any collateral trauma caused, his writings defend his actions, calling them a response to systemic injustices. His courtroom outburst, coupled with his calculated manifesto, paints a picture of someone deeply disillusioned and willing to resort to violence to make a statement.
