Minnesota Man Arrested for Impersonating FBI Agent

A man from Minnesota was taken into custody on Wednesday at a jail in Brooklyn, after attempting to impersonate an FBI agent to secure the release of an inmate named Luigi Mangione.

The details come from a criminal complaint in the Eastern District of New York, revealing that Mark Anderson was apprehended at the Metropolitan Detention Center after he asserted he had a court order for Mangione’s release.

While the indictment does not specify the inmate, sources indicated that it was indeed Mangione, who faces accusations related to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.

Reportedly, around 6:50 p.m., Anderson approached an area designated for water intake. He told a Bureau of Prisons employee that he was an FBI agent and had a document “signed by a judge.”

When asked to provide his federal credentials, Anderson presented a driver’s license from Minnesota, claimed to be armed, and even threw a pile of documents at the officer—which agents later described as a legal claim directed towards the U.S. Department of Justice.

Law enforcement officers detained Anderson on the spot and searched his backpack. Surprisingly, they discovered a large barbecue fork and a pizza cutter inside.

The NYPD and FBI swiftly responded, leading to Anderson’s transfer into federal custody. Fortunately, no inmates were released during this bizarre incident, and it did not disrupt operations at the facility.

Anderson now faces charges for impersonating a federal officer, a felony that could result in up to three years in prison.

Mangione has been housed at MDC following his arrest connected to the Thompson shooting, which has drawn considerable media attention and raised concerns regarding government security measures. He remains in custody as his legal proceedings unfold.