Just months before allegedly shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Luigi Mangione reportedly found himself in a brutal scuffle with a group of transgender women during a chaotic night out in Thailand, a new report claims.
The 27-year-old accused killer reportedly boasted to friends over WhatsApp about his wild backpacking adventures across Asia before returning to the U.S. in July 2024—and allegedly shooting Thompson that December, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Luigi Mangione made a court appearance last month, facing questions that could shape the next chapter of his case. Steven Hirsch
In a startling message, Mangione claimed he had been beaten by seven ‘ladyboys’—a slang term for transgender women—in Bangkok, even sharing a photo of his bruised and scratched arm, according to texts reviewed by the outlet.
The Ivy League-educated tech whiz set off on a solo adventure abroad in early 2024, forging unexpected connections with soccer player Christian Sacchini and another mysterious companion along the way.
Sacchini, who met Mangione at a Bangkok pub in March, told the publication that the accused killer started by chatting about video games and Pokémon—but quickly spiraled into a rant about how 'effed up' the U.S. healthcare system is compared to Thailand’s
"He couldn’t believe it," Sacchini recalled, describing Mangione’s disbelief at how cheap an MRI costs in the Southeast Asian country.
Mangione stands accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson. Luigi Mangione/Facebook
The alleged killer, born into a wealthy Maryland family, eventually fled to Japan’s verdant Mount Omine, seeking solitude and hoping to "meditate" and "do some writing" by a peaceful hot spring.
According to the Times, fellow travelers, locals, and Mangione’s own notes suggest he shifted from craving human connection at the start of his trip to isolating himself—becoming increasingly fixated on making a dramatic statement about perceived injustices in insurance coverage.
"He didn’t use any digital devices," said Juntaro Mihara, owner of a small guesthouse in Tenkawa, where the University of Pennsylvania graduate stayed for six days in complete digital silence.
Mangione arrived in New York City this past December for a high-stakes court hearing. Paul Martinka
“He was quiet, and only had minimum necessary conversations with other guests or maybe didn’t talk with anyone.”
Family and friends said Mangione disappeared off the grid upon returning to San Francisco in July, having stopped responding to messages and gone silent on social media months earlier.
In an August diary entry, the alleged gunman described sleepless nights and a "foggy" mind, consumed by thoughts of how to confront what he perceived as injustice.
"I finally feel confident about what I’ll do," he wrote, the outlet reported.
“The details are finally coming together. And I don’t feel any doubt about whether it’s right/justified. I’m glad — in a way — that I’ve procrastinated, bc it allowed me to learn more about UHC. The target is insurance. It checks every box.”
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges for allegedly gunning down 50-year-old healthcare executive Brian Thompson in cold blood outside the insurance giant’s annual investor conference in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024.
After the shooting, police found the words "delay," "deny," and "depose" etched onto shell casings left at the scene.
He was apprehended in Pennsylvania following a tense, five-day manhunt.
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty against Mangione, who has since amassed a cult-like following of twisted admirers celebrating his targeted attack on the father of two.
Mangione is scheduled to return to federal court on December 5.
No trial date has been set, leaving the case shrouded in uncertainty
