UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty faces heavy backlash after email to staff is leaked online

An employee at UnitedHealth Group has leaked a video of the company’s CEO addressing the alleged public assassination of Brian Thompson on the streets of New York.

The fallout from the shocking public assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has continued to swirl, with the boss of the parent company that oversees the business coming under fire.

The incident, which unfolded outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan, has seen Thompson become the subject of intense online criticism.

Many have pointed the finger at Thompson and his company, UnitedHealthcare, for their alleged role in rejecting necessary treatments for those who needed it most.

Mangione’s actions have been met with mixed reactions online, with some praising the gunman for his apparent stand against the “parasites” of corporate America.

Others have rallied against notions that it is acceptable for private citizens to carry out extrajudicial justice.

This week, more drama unfolded in the corporate world when Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, attempted to shield Thompson’s legacy in a memo sent to staff, referring to his late colleague as “one of the good guys.”

Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein first released the video, which he says was leaked to him by one of the company’s staff on Thursday.

“Brian was one of the good guys. He was certainly one of the smartest guys. I think he was one of the best guys. I’m going to miss him. And I am incredibly proud to call him my friend,” Witty said in the clip.

An employee at UnitedHealth Group has leaked a video of the company’s CEO addressing the public assassination of Brian Thompson on the streets of New York.

Witty attempted to shield Thompson’s legacy in a memo sent to staff, referring to his late colleague as ‘one of the good guys’.

“Many have said that we’re all a little better for knowing Brian. There is no truer statement than that. As we begin to move forward, the best way to honour his life and all that he stood for is to carry on his legacy — continuing to do right by the people who’ve entrusted us with their care and those who are counting on us to take care of their loved ones.

Witty said employees “owe it to Brian to make good on our promise to make health care work better for everybody, in every way.”

Thousands of viewers reacted to the statement online, with one person declaring the US health insurance giant was a “racket”.

“When he said ‘unnecessary care’, I couldn’t help but recall the many, many redundant and expensive tests/scans a family member just had to go through before a straightforward surgery,” Lily Bart wrote on X.

“They took 6 months and were baked into the approval process (with) the hospital and insurance company. There are different kinds of unnecessary care. There’s a real racket going on within hospitals and medical centers when it comes to certain things.”

Others were annoyed the CEO had brushed the global criticism of his company under the rug.

“To simply dismiss everything on social media as “critical noise“ reveals how out of touch and elitist he is. He thinks everybody outside of his leadership team are peons to be dismissed.”

CCTV captured the horrific scene.

Meanwhile, investigators have revealed that Mangione may have had a personal vendetta against UnitedHealthcare, with some reports suggesting the company’s treatment of his sick relative may have pushed him over the edge.

A three-page manifesto recovered from Mangione reveals his deep disdain for corporate America and his resolve to take action, stating, “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.”

Mangione has also apologised for any “strife or traumas” he might have caused.

Online court documents released today show Mangione has been charged with one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm.

He was seen for the first time since his arrest on Tuesday, with his mugshot also released.

Luigi Mangione was led by police into the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania on Tuesday morning AEDT.

The 26-year-old is has been charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack outside a Hilton in New York on December 4.

Following a week-long manhunt, Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania after he was recognised by a McDonald’s employee.

He is being held without bail following his arraignment on additional charges of forgery, carrying firearms without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing an instrument of crime and providing false identification to law enforcement.

Investigators have revealed that Mangione may have had a personal vendetta against UnitedHealthcare

The 26-year-old is suspected of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack outside a Hilton in New York on December 4.

Mangione allegedly carried a “handwritten” note in his possession when he was taken into custody by authorities in Altoona, Pennsylvania, as well as a gun, silencer, four fake IDs and other items “consistent” with what authorities were looking for in the case, The New York Post reported.

“These parasites had it coming,” the two-page document read, according to CNN.

“I do apologise for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.”

Reports have emerged claiming Mangione hated the medical community because of how it treated a sick relative.

This handout image released by the New York Police Department (NYPD) via X on December 5, 2024 shows the firearm recovered at the scene of the shooting.

While the manifesto spoke to the motivation behind Mangione’s alleged crime, New York Police Department chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, said authorities “don’t think that there is any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document”.

The document suggested he had “ill will towards corporate America”.

The bust came amid a massive manhunt for the masked shooter, who lay in wait outside Manhattan’s Hilton Hotel where Mr Thompson, 50, was set to speak at an investors’ conference on December 4.

Mangione approached Mr Thompson on the footpath, pulled out what appeared to be a handgun with a silencer and fired multiple shots at his back, shocking surveillance footage of the incident showed.

Mr Thompson dropped to the ground after he was hit in the back and right calf, with the gunman quickly running off before grabbing an E-bike and riding away.

He was rushed to Mount Sinai hospital, where he was pronounced dead.