What Luigi Mangione’s celebrity says about Gen Z

A supporter waits outside a federal courthouse in New York ahead of a January 2026 hearing for Luigi Mangione. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura After Luigi Mangione was arrested in December 2024 in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the internet did what it often does: It turned something serious into a joke. Nearly two years later, on Aug. 14, 2026, Mangione pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges and admitted to shooting Thompson. He’s now contesting second-degree…