A bizarre and alarming jailbreak attempt unfolded Wednesday night in Brooklyn after a man allegedly posing as an FBI agent walked into a federal detention center and tried to secure the release of suspected assassin Luigi Mangione, according to a newly filed criminal complaint.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Mark Anderson of Minnesota, was charged Thursday with impersonating a federal agent. Prosecutors say Anderson unlawfully approached the intake area of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn and told jail officials he had an order “signed by a judge” authorizing the release of an inmate.
The criminal complaint does not name the intended target of the supposed release. However, law enforcement sources told ABC News and the New York Post that Anderson was attempting to free Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The situation quickly unraveled. Anderson allegedly told detention center officials that he had weapons in his bag. When authorities searched it, they found not firearms or tactical gear, but a pizza cutter and a barbecue fork. When asked to present official credentials, Anderson reportedly handed over his Minnesota driver’s license instead.
According to the complaint, Anderson recently relocated to New York City and was working at a pizza parlor. He was scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon to face the impersonation charge.
BREAKING: A Minnesota man identified as Mark Anderson allegedly attempted to break Luigi out of prison by impersonating an FBI agent. He was reportedly armed with a BBQ fork and what appeared to be a pizza cutter and was quickly arrested and charged with impersonating a federal… pic.twitter.com/nidtJb8spX
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 29, 2026
Mangione, 27, is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center as his high-profile case moves forward. The University of Pennsylvania graduate is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City street on December 4, 2024, a killing that sent shockwaves through the corporate and political worlds.
He has been charged at both the state and federal levels. The federal murder charge carries the potential for the death penalty if Mangione is convicted. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Despite the severity of the allegations, Mangione has attracted a disturbing fan base. Supporters have openly called for his release and, in some cases, have used Thompson’s murder as a rallying point to attack the U.S. health care system. Some have gone further, calling for violence against other health care executives.
Groups of Mangione supporters, including individuals dressed as Luigi from the Super Mario video game franchise, have gathered outside the New York City courthouse during his court appearances. Mangione is scheduled to return to federal court on Friday, where a judge will consider whether the death penalty will remain an option in the case.
Meanwhile, Mangione’s attorneys are attempting to suppress key evidence. Defense lawyers are asking the judge to block prosecutors from using items found in Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest, arguing that police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, conducted an illegal search.
According to court filings, the backpack allegedly contained a firearm, a loaded magazine, and a notebook outlining a plan to “whack” the health care CEO at what was described as an “annual parasitic bean-counter convention.”
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett ruled last week that Mangione’s federal trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.
