YouTube hoax fuels wild theories after healthcare CEO's murder
In the hours following the arrest of Luigi Mangione, the main suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a mysterious video allegedly connected to the detainee appeared on YouTube. However, a detailed analysis revealed something entirely different.
Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday morning at a McDonald's restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania. A staff member noticed his suspicious behavior and notified the police. Mangione had a gun and a forged identification document from New Jersey, consistent with the details used by the perpetrator on the day of Brian Thompson's murder.
Interestingly, this particular restaurant under the Golden Arches began receiving negative reviews after the suspect's arrest. Commenters alleged rats in the kitchen, employees "selling" customers to the police, and officers dining at the venue.
"If you see this, I'm already under arrest"
A few hours later, on a YouTube channel named @PepMangione, an 84-second silent video with mysterious messages appeared. At the beginning, the message was: "If you see this, I'm already under arrest." Then, the phrase "Coming soon…" appeared in the lower corner of the screen, shortly followed by the date "December 11." The screen displayed the message at the end: "All is scheduled. Be patient. Bye for now."
The video quickly gained popularity, sparking a wave of speculation on social media. Similar accounts were created, showing the same film.
YouTube removes channel for impersonation
YouTube quickly responded to the video's publication, suspending the account for "violating impersonation policies." A spokesperson for the platform, quoted by "Newsweek," explained that the account's information had been changed following reports of Mangione's arrest:
The platform also closed three other channels associated with the alleged suspect, which had not posted new content for months.
Forensic analysis reveals a hoax
While many believed Mangione planned the video release, an analysis conducted by "The Intercept" revealed something entirely different. The video was uploaded to YouTube servers just two minutes before its premiere, ruling out the possibility that Mangione had scheduled the release before his arrest.
The video was published at 2:35 PM Eastern Time (ET) on December 9, 2024, while Mangione was taken into custody at 9:15 AM that same day. This means he could not have personally uploaded the video.
It is worth noting that the @PepMangione account was created on YouTube in January 2024, nearly a year before the murder. However, YouTube confirmed that the channel's name could have been changed later. Additionally, after Mangione's arrest, more fake accounts named PepMangione appeared on platforms like BlueSky and Telegram.
Motive for the murder and clues from the crime scene
Investigators reported that Mangione carried a three-page handwritten letter expressing "discontent with corporate America." Additionally, the ammunition used in the murder of Brian Thompson bore the words "deny," "defend," and "remove." These phrases are associated with the practices of insurance companies avoiding payouts. It's also a reference to the 2010 book "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It."
Despite numerous conspiracy theories surrounding the mysterious video, the analysis showed it was a sophisticated hoax. The official investigation into Brian Thompson's murder is ongoing, and Luigi Mangione remains the main suspect. Will the truth about the crime come to light? Time will tell, but misinformation can spread as quickly as facts in today's world.
