FACT CHECK: Threads Post Falsely Claims McDonald’s Employee Who Identified Mangione Will Receive $500,000 Reward

A post shared on Threads claims the McDonald’s employee who identified Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will receive a $500,000 reward.

Verdict: False

The total reward is $60,000, with the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) Crime Stoppers offering $10,000 and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) offering $50,000.

Fact Check:

A gun Mangione was carrying when he was arrested matches the shell casings found in New York where Thompson was shot, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, according to USA Today. Tisch also said fingerprints matching those of Mangione were found on a water bottle and an energy bar wrapper near the scene of the shooting, the outlet reported.

The Threads post claims the McDonald’s employee who identified Mangione will receive a $500,000 reward.

“Apparently a $7.20 an hour McDonalds employee saved the NYPD. The employee of McDonalds now gets a cool 1/2 million dollar reward!” the post, which does not provide a source to support its claim, reads in part.

The claim is false. A Dec. 8 post shared to the NYPD Crime Stoppers page on Facebook indicates a $10,000 reward was being offered to anyone who could identify the suspect accused of killing Thompson.

“WANTED-HOMICIDE: On 12/4/24 NYPD Midtown North Precinct in front of 1335 Avenue of the Americas Brian Thompson was shot and killed by an unknown perpetrator. Any info call us at 800-577-TIPS Reward UP to $10,000,” the post reads. The post also includes photos of the suspect, who has since been identified as Mangione.

Likewise, the FBI offered a $50,000 reward for the suspect involved in Mangione’s death, adding the shooter’s photo to its Most Wanted list, according to USA Today. Between NYPD Crime Stoppers and the FBI, the cumulative reward was $60,000, E! News reported.

In addition, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports to support the claim made via the Threads post. Actually, the opposite is true. On Dec. 11, PolitiFact debunked the claim, indicating the total reward split between NYPD Crime Stoppers and the FBI was $60,000.

Mangione was identified and arrested at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, according to CNN.

Thompson was shot and killed while en route to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference in New York on Dec. 4, The Associated Press reported. (RELATED: No, UnitedHealthcare Has Not Posted Its CEO Job Listing)

Check Your Fact has contacted NYPD Crime Stoppers and the FBI for comment.