We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

The UnitedHealthcare CEO’s alleged murderer pulled a star-powered connection with counsel linked to hip hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

(Video: CNN)

Less than two weeks after he was alleged to have taken the life of father and husband Brian Thompson outside the Midtown Manhattan Hilton Hotel, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione could be on his way to New York City as soon as Tuesday. With talk of waiving extradition, the suspect was reported to have retained former Manhattan chief assistant district attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo whose spouse, Marc Agnifilo, represents Combs.

In a statement reported by Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Friedman Agnifilo stated, “Karen Friedman Agnifilo of Agnifilo Intrater LLP has been officially retained to represent Luigi Mangione in New York.”

“Ms. Friedman Agnifilo is a longtime veteran of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and served as the second-in-command for seven years under DA Cyrus Vance, in addition to serving for four years as the Chief of the Office’s Trial Division,” continued the statement.

Friday, CNN host Kaitlan Collins reported on Mangione’s counsel noting that the attorney had once served as a CNN legal analyst.

Prior to being retained by the suspect, Friedman Agnifilo had told CNN, “It looks to me like this — there might be a not guilty by reason of insanity defense they’re gonna be thinking about because the evidence is gonna be so overwhelming that he did what he did.”

Collins quoted a New York prosecutor on the benefit the suspect had in his choice of counsel as he was faced with a second-degree murder charge as, “She knows every corridor, every judge, every clerk in the courthouse here.”

Her biography on her firm’s website detailed in part:

“While serving in the Manhattan DA’s office, Ms. Friedman Agnifilo was also integral to creating the office’s Human Trafficking Unit, Hate Crimes Unit, Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Terrorism Unit, its Cybercrimes and Identity Theft Bureau, as well as working on the creation of Manhattan’s first Mental Health Court.”

According to the New York Post, as Agnifilo was representing Combs who faced charges for alleged sex trafficking, Friedman Agnifilo had in the past been forced to recuse herself “from several cases in which her husband was representing accused suspects, including Harvey [Weinstein’s] rape prosecution.

As for Mangione’s case, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had revealed Friday there was “no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth-largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest health care organization in America. So that’s possibly why he targeted that company.”

Since his arrest Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, law enforcement officials had reported that the firearm found on the suspect’s person had been 3D-printed and was a ballistics match for the shell casings recovered at the scene of the crime.

While he was scheduled to appear in a Pennsylvania court on gun charges on Dec. 30, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a press conference Friday of extradition, “Indications are that the defendant may waive. But that waiver is not complete until a court proceeding, which my understanding from court officials in Pennsylvania cannot happen until Tuesday.”

Kevin Haggerty
Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.