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Luigi Mangione was ‘afraid’ of porn, social media addiction — and angry at cost of health care, online friend says

Monday evening, CNN anchor Erin Burnett interviewed Gurwinder Bhogal, a British journalist who befriended Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was shot and killed early in the morning on Dec. 4 outside of the New York Hilton Midtown, where UHC was holding an investor conference. Police have said they believe this was a premeditated and targeted attack. After Mangione was recognized at a McDonaldâÂÂs in Altoona, Pennsylvania, he was taken into custody by local police, who found in his possession a ghost gun and suppressor and a manifesto that railed against the health insurance industry. Mangione has been charged with murder, second-degree possession of a forged document, and both second and third-degree criminal possession of a firearm. So far, investigators have announced that fingerprints and shell casings found at the murder scene match the prints taken from Mangione and the gun he had on him when he was arrested.

The 26-year-old let on to fears that he was losing control of his life while seeking help in a series of online and video chats just before he cut off contact with his family, Substack writer Gurwinder Bhogal told CNN.

“He was very concerned with things like online porn. He believed a lot of men were not going out and meeting women because they were addicted to porn,” Bhogal alleged.

“He was really concerned about video games, he believed that people were not making accomplishments, they were not accomplishing things in the real world because they were getting the dopamine hits from video games.”

Mangione was also terrified that social media were taking people’s “agency” away, and was concerned he too was losing control over his life due to a social media addiction, according to Bhogal, who said he had a two-hour video call with Mangione about those fears just before he disappeared earlier this year.

“He was afraid that technology was going to take people’s agency away. He actually believed that this was already happening,” Bhogal alleged.

This belief is what led Mangione to become interested in the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, according to Bhogal.

“He became interested in Kaczynski’s work for this reason — because Kaczynski also believed this,” Bhogal explained.

Mangione shared his views on Kaczynski — who killed three and injured 23 more between 1978 and 1995 — online, liking one of his quotes and writing a review of his manifesto.

During their call, Mangione also alluded to “his frustrations with the US health care system,” Bhogal alleged.

“He said the US health care system was really expensive and I told him about the NHS (National Health Service) because here in the UK we have a free health care system. And he kind of seemed to idolize the UK’s health care system,” Bhogal claimed.

Mangione is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, outside a Midtown hotel on Dec. 4.

He was later arrested in Altoona, Pa., after he was recognized while eating in a McDonald’s restaurant. Mangione was charged in Pennsylvania with forgery and carrying a firearm without a license.

He has not waived his right to an extradition hearing to face murder charges in New York.

He was later arrested in Altoona, Pa., after he was recognized while eating in a McDonald’s restaurant. Mangione was charged in Pennsylvania with forgery and carrying a firearm without a license.

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