Detectives investigating the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have uncovered a possible motive: shell casings on the crime scene have been inscribed with the phrases “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose.”
This discovery suggests the homicide was a focused act, presumably linked to UnitedHealthcare’s controversial practices. Thompson, who earned almost $9.9 million yearly, had been with the corporate since 2004 and served as CEO for over three years.
Thompson, 50, was fatally shot on December 4, 2024, outdoors the New York Hilton Midtown lodge, the place he was scheduled to host an investor convention.
Surveillance footage exhibits a masked gunman ready for Thompson earlier than approaching and firing a number of photographs at shut vary.
Regardless of an preliminary jam, the shooter shortly cleared the weapon and resumed firing, showcasing a excessive stage of ability and expertise.
“It does appear that he’s proficient in the usage of firearms as he was capable of clear the malfunctions fairly shortly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny stated on the information convention.
After the assault, the gunman fled the scene on an e-bike, disappearing into Central Park.
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The inscribed shell casings—three stay 9mm rounds and three discharged casings—bearing the phrases “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose”—have been discovered among the many proof collected on the scene.
Thompson’s spouse, Paulette, disclosed that the household had acquired threats previous to the incident, presumably associated to disputes over insurance coverage protection.
“There had been some threats,” she told NBC News. “Principally, I don’t know, a scarcity of protection? I don’t know particulars. I simply know that he stated there have been some those that had been threatening him.”
UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest personal well being insurer, has confronted criticism for denying claims and is at the moment underneath a Division of Justice antitrust investigation.
The Gateway Pundit beforehand reported:
In February, Thompson exercised inventory choices and offered shares price $15.1 million, lower than two weeks earlier than information of a federal antitrust probe into UnitedHealth turned public—a revelation that led to a pointy decline within the firm’s inventory worth.
UnitedHealth Group’s chairman, Stephen Helmsley, Chief Individuals Officer Erin McSweeney, and Chief Accounting Officer Tom Roos collectively additionally offered over $101.5 million in shares.
Helmsley alone reportedly netted almost $85 million. These transactions, revealed in a Crain’s New York Business exposé, at the moment are the topic of an intense DOJ probe into potential violations of insider buying and selling legal guidelines.
Along with the insider buying and selling allegations, Thompson was additionally accused of making an attempt to halt UnitedHealthcare’s growth into monopolistic dominance inside the healthcare business, in line with Fox News.
Including to the corporate’s woes, UnitedHealth suffered one of many largest healthcare knowledge breaches in U.S. historical past earlier this yr, compromising the personal knowledge of probably one-third of Individuals. The corporate paid a $22 million ransom to the hackers and estimated the monetary influence of the breach at round $705 million, in line with the New York Post.
Legislation enforcement officers are providing a $10,000 reward for data resulting in the suspect’s arrest.
These are further photographs of the suspect sought in connection to this morning’s murder. In case you have any details about this incident, the suspect, or his location please contact @NYPDTips at 1(800)577-TIPS. https://t.co/rtfVynljXa pic.twitter.com/kUJr7l0nxZ
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 4, 2024