Multiple GoFundMes in support of accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione popped up within minutes of police announcing him as a suspect.
The popular fundraising site is attempting to keep pace with the stream of pages being created in support of Mangione, taking them down as soon as possible.
"Legal defense for he who shall not be named wink, wink," read one of the pages seeking funds to help Mangione's defense.
"I am supporting Luigi Mangione," read another page. "I hope to get him the help he will need in this upcoming trial. He will need all the help he can get and I hope he can be comfortable dealing with this hardship in life."
The consistent creation of fundraising pages of Mangione follows the macabre reaction much of the public has had to the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Many people have used the killing as an opportunity to vent their frustrations with the healthcare industry.
For example, a tribute to Thompson posted by the company on Facebook garnered more than 90,000 laughing emojis, according to the Huffpost. Later, someone placed a balloon tribute at the site of the Manhattan shooting, reported The Daily Mail.
Thompson, a father of two from Minnesota, joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and worked his way up to become the CEO of the company's insurance arm in April 2021. His killing provoked a stream of negative reactions and stories about the health insurance industry that were shared on social media. The GoFundMe pages are only the latest example.
"We are raising funds to support a critical legal defense in the fight against unchecked corporate power and a system that continues to favor the few over everyone else. This case isn't just about one individual—it's about challenging a status quo that protects the interest of the powerful at the expense of justice and fairness," read one of the fundraising pages that was quickly removed by GoFundMe.
