Credit: Business Wire
Detectives investigating the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have uncovered a potential motive: shell casings at the crime scene were inscribed with the words “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose.”
This discovery suggests the murder was a targeted act, possibly linked to UnitedHealthcare’s controversial practices. Thompson, who earned nearly $9.9 million annually, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for over three years.
Thompson, 50, was fatally shot on December 4, 2024, outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where he was scheduled to host an investor conference.
Surveillance footage shows a masked gunman waiting for Thompson before approaching and firing multiple shots at close range.
Despite an initial jam, the shooter quickly cleared the weapon and resumed firing, showcasing a high level of skill and experience.
“It does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said at the news conference.
After the attack, the gunman fled the scene on an e-bike, disappearing into Central Park.
WATCH: (Viewer discretion is advised.)
The inscribed shell casings—three live 9mm rounds and three discharged casings—bearing the words “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose”—were found among the evidence collected at the scene.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette, disclosed that the family had received threats prior to the incident, possibly related to disputes over insurance coverage.
“There had been some threats,” she told NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest private health insurer, has faced criticism for denying claims and is currently under a Department of Justice antitrust investigation.
The Gateway Pundit previously reported:
In February, Thompson exercised stock options and sold shares worth $15.1 million, less than two weeks before news of a federal antitrust probe into UnitedHealth became public—a revelation that led to a sharp decline in the company’s stock price.
UnitedHealth Group’s chairman, Stephen Helmsley, Chief People Officer Erin McSweeney, and Chief Accounting Officer Tom Roos collectively also sold over $101.5 million in shares.
Helmsley alone reportedly netted nearly $85 million. These transactions, revealed in a Crain’s New York Business exposé, are now the subject of an intense DOJ probe into potential violations of insider trading laws.
In addition to the insider trading allegations, Thompson was also accused of attempting to halt UnitedHealthcare’s expansion into monopolistic dominance within the healthcare industry, according to Fox News.
Adding to the company’s woes, UnitedHealth suffered one of the largest healthcare data breaches in U.S. history earlier this year, compromising the private data of potentially one-third of Americans. The company paid a $22 million ransom to the hackers and estimated the financial impact of the breach at around $705 million, according to the New York Post.
Law enforcement officials are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
These are additional images of the suspect sought in connection to this morning’s homicide. If you have any information 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
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