Liputan6.com, Jakarta - A man arrested for attempting to free inmate Luigi Mangione.
This man named Mark Anderson was arrested by posing as an FBI agent at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday night, January 28, 2026.
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Anderson, a 36-year-old from Mankato, Minnesota, entered the detention reception area and claimed to have a bench warrant for the release of an inmate.
Authorities immediately became suspicious of Anderson's claims of being a federal agent.
He stated that the warrant was "signed by a judge" for the release of Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
However, when asked to show his credentials, Anderson produced only a Minnesota driver's license, further raising suspicions among Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officers.
There is no indication that Mangione was aware of Anderson's attempt to secure his release.
Mark Anderson's Undercover Operation
Mark Anderson arrived at MDC Brooklyn with a daring modus operandi, posing as an FBI agent and carrying documents he claimed were a release warrant.
He even threw documents at BOP officers related to filing a claim with the Department of Justice.
In addition to these false claims, Anderson also claimed to have a weapon, although a search of his bag revealed only a barbecue fork and a circular steel knife resembling a pizza cutter.
BOP officers quickly recognized his behavior and detained him.
During interrogation, Anderson reportedly told officers that he wanted to be arrested and claimed that the Mexico-based Jalisco New Generation cartel was after him.
Background of the Undercover Perpetrator
Mark Anderson, the undercover perpetrator, traveled all the way to New York from his home state of Minnesota.
Before this incident, he worked at a pizza restaurant after other job opportunities failed.Records show that Anderson has a history of drug-related and other arrests.
Furthermore, in court documents last year, he revealed that he suffers from mental illness.
Anderson's exact motivation for attempting to free Luigi Mangione remains unclear.
However, his admission that he wanted to be captured and pursued by the Mexican cartel suggests personal stress or a mental health condition that may have influenced his decision.
Luigi Mangione's Legal Status After Murder Case
Luigi Mangione, 27, is currently in the public spotlight due to the December 2024 murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
Mangione is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, awaiting further legal proceedings.In September 2025, a judge dismissed two primary state charges against Luigi Mangione: first-degree murder and second-degree murder, considered a crime of terrorism.
This dismissal was based on legally insufficient evidence to support the charges.However, Mangione still faces an additional second-degree murder charge as well as a federal murder charge.
Prosecutors are expected to decide soon whether to seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, given the seriousness of the charges he still faces.