UnitedHealthcare CEO Shot Dead Amid DOJ Investigation Allegations

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was tragically gunned down Wednesday morning in what authorities believe was a targeted attack.

The high-profile executive was ambushed outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, where he was set to attend his company’s annual investor conference. Thompson’s shocking murder comes amid a swirl of allegations involving insider trading and antitrust violations under investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ), as reported by The Gateway Pundit.

So, the UnitedHealthCare guy taken out today was facing a DoJ probe. Ohhhhhhh the irony. https://t.co/fptmzzI8yn

— ꧁ C a r o l i n a ꧂ (@CarolinaOuest) December 4, 2024

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The 50-year-old CEO was attacked around 6:45 a.m., as surveillance footage captured a masked assailant approaching him from behind and firing multiple shots. After the weapon initially jammed, the suspect efficiently cleared the malfunction and continued the assault before fleeing on an electric bike toward Central Park.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny remarked, “It does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly.” Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene.

Law enforcement has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect. Authorities are investigating whether the assassination was linked to Thompson’s ongoing legal troubles, which had placed him and other UnitedHealth executives under the DOJ’s microscope.

Thompson had been CEO of UnitedHealthcare since 2021 and was among several company leaders implicated in allegations of insider trading and monopolistic practices. In February, Thompson exercised stock options and sold shares worth $15.1 million just days before news broke of a federal antitrust probe, which tanked UnitedHealth’s stock value.

Other top executives, including UnitedHealth Group Chairman Stephen Helmsley, Chief People Officer Erin McSweeney, and Chief Accounting Officer Tom Roos, collectively sold more than $101.5 million in shares during the same period. Helmsley alone pocketed $85 million from these transactions. These moves, highlighted by Crain’s New York Business, have become central to the DOJ’s investigation.

Adding to the controversy, UnitedHealth has faced accusations of attempting to stifle competition in the healthcare industry. The DOJ and several state attorneys general recently filed a lawsuit to block UnitedHealth’s proposed $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys Inc., a leading home health and hospice provider.

The lawsuit alleged the merger would eliminate competition, harm patients, and reduce options for healthcare workers and insurers.

Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “Home health and hospice patients deserve affordable, high-quality care options. The Justice Department will not hesitate to check unlawful consolidation and monopolization in the healthcare market.”

Thompson’s tenure also coincided with one of the largest healthcare data breaches in U.S. history. Earlier this year, hackers compromised the private data of potentially one-third of Americans. UnitedHealth paid a $22 million ransom to recover the stolen information, estimating the breach’s financial toll at $705 million.

Thompson’s assassination leaves unanswered questions about the motives behind the attack and casts a dark shadow over a company already under immense scrutiny. Whether the murder is connected to the DOJ probe or other factors remains to be seen, but the tragedy adds another layer of complexity to an already explosive corporate scandal.