Callum Jones
UnitedHealth has dropped a whopping $63 billion in value following the murder of their CEO last month.
Brian Thompson was shot and killed in what is alleged to have been a targeted attack by Luigi Mangione.
Thompson was shot twice in the back and once in the leg as he left a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan last month.
Officials later announced that a person of interest had been detained after being spotted in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a tip-off from an employee at the fast-food joint.
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Mangione is facing multiple charges from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including first and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and possessing a forged driver’s license.
The suspect pleaded not guilty on December 23.
Mangione faces two trials for the crimes he's been accused of; one state case and one federal prosecution.
The two cases are set to run parallel to one another, with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office confirming to CNN that it is coordinating with federal authorities for Mangione’s arraignment on the state charges.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement: “Today, the Justice Department has brought federal murder charges against Luigi Mangione. As alleged, Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime. I am grateful to our state and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to locate and apprehend the defendant and to ensure that he answers for his alleged crime.”
Johnson's murder sent shockwaves across the world, and his passing has severely hurt his company, UnitedHealthcare, financially too.
As per a report by the Independent, the price of shares in the company have dropped by around $100 since Thompson's death on December 4.
While the company's stock may have fallen, UnitedHealth confirmed they had recorded a better than-hoped profit in 2024's final quarter.
And on an open-call on Thursday (January 16) detailing the numbers, the company paid their respects to Thompson.
"Brian helped build this company and forged deep, trusted relationships for over 20 years, and the positive impact he had on people will be felt for years to come,” Chief Financial Officer John Rex said.
Sir Andrew Witty, the CEO of the group, was forced to defend its status within the US healthcare industry.
Following the death of Thompson, some people shared their stories accusing UnitedHealth of rejecting requests to pay for health care.
Mr Witty stated during the earnings calls that health in the US needed to be 'less confusing, less complex and less costly'.
"Those are key areas for us to work at to improve," he added.