UnitedHealthcare is paying local police officers to patrol its corporate headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota, nearly every day, following the killing of its CEO Brian Thompson in December.
The move was first reported by KSTP-TV on Wednesday and confirmed to Newsweek by a Minnetonka Police spokesperson. UnitedHealthcare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Why It Matters
Luigi Mangione is suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson, 50, outside of the Hilton hotel in Manhattan on December 4, 2024. The 26-year-old, detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Center, pleaded not guilty to 11 state charges and four federal ones, including first-degree murder and murder as an act of terrorism.
UnitedHealthcare, the country’s largest health insurer, has faced public criticism and customer frustration over issues ranging from insurance denials to cybersecurity threats, while Mangione has become a cult hero to some of the industry’s critics.
The company has previously said about the claims against it: “Highly inaccurate and grossly misleading information has been circulated about our company’s treatment of insurance claims.”
What We Know
A police officer has been stationed at the main entrance of the HQ for the past three months, according to records seen by KSTP. The local Minneapolis television news station’s report was “correct,” the Minnetonka Police spokesperson told Newsweek.
The spokesperson added that it was “standard” for the police to provide such services to companies.
Officers are being compensated for their time through a private contract with UnitedHealthcare, according to the KSTP report.
The report also shared that UnitedHealthcare was paying the police force an off-duty rate of around $110 an hour.
To date, the local outlet reported that UnitedHealthcare has paid the City of Minnetonka almost $150,000 for police to work contracted overtime.
There are heightened security concerns following the shooting of Thompson and another incident that followed the day after his death.
A Minnetonka police report seen by Newsweek showed that there was an incident described as a “terroristic threat” on December 5 whereby the UnitedHealthcare Chief Operating Officer, Michael Baker, received a threatening comment in a post on LinkedIn.
Per the police report, Baker posted on the professional networking platform to praise another employee at UnitedHealthcare.
A user with the profile name of “Second Hand,” commented on the post at around 9 p.m. local time on December 5, to say, “You’re next.”
Baker also received a follow request from the user, but did not accept it. According to the police report, the user’s profile suggested the individual was from Indianapolis.
While the police said in the report that Baker “often receive[s] threatening messages and posts,” they added that this incident was “especially concerning with the recent news media.”
Additionally, UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, recently dealt with a cybersecurity breach that compromised sensitive patient data.
What People Are Saying
A Minnetonka Police spokesperson told Newsweek: “It’s standard for officers to partake in Private Duty Overtime for private and public events, business and organizations.”
Dave Skinner, who runs NTS Security in Minneapolis, told KSTP: “When the murder of Brian Thompson happened, guys like myself within the industry started receiving phone calls from these companies looking for protective services. It’s a really good time, in very unfortunate circumstances, but a really good time for all of them to take a look at their physical and operational security measures to make sure that they are sufficient, they are protected.”
What Happens Next
Newsweek has not been able to determine how long the increased security presence will continue at UnitedHealthcare.
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