The legal defense fund for accused CEO assassin Luigi Mangione has raked in well over $500,000 in donations by Friday — as he is due in court for his first hearing since being slapped with murder and terror charges.
Donations have been pouring in to help pay for the 26-year-old alleged killer’s legal fees ever since he was arrested in December over the cold-blooded killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.
As of early Friday, the online fundraiser had reached its target, having topped $514,500 — with the goal now raised to a staggering $1 million.
“I am overwhelmed by — and grateful for — everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support. Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions,” Mangione said in a statement on the website.
“While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write. I look forward to hearing more in the future.”
Meanwhile, the accused killer is scheduled to appear in state court in Manhattan later Friday for allegedly gunning down the health care boss and then leading authorities on a massive, five-day manhunt.
The hearing, which will be the first since Mangione’s arraignment, is likely to be mostly procedural — with prosecutors and Mangione’s defense lawyers expected to provide updates on the status of the case.
The judge also could set deadlines for pretrial paperwork and possibly even a trial date.
Mangione — an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family — has already pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism over the brazen Dec. 4 slaying.
The alleged perp also faces federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty.
He is holed up in a Brooklyn federal jail alongside other high-profile defendants, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried.
