Frightened company’s futuristic strategy to protect CEOs in the wake of Brian Thompson’s killing.

Companies across America are scrambling to find ways to protect their own CEOs after the murder of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson in New York on December 4. 

In the wake of the 50-year-old CEO’s murder, companies have considered hiring mock intruders to highlight potential flaws in security details, according to Tim Gallagher the chief security officer at investigations firm Nardello. 

Gallagher told the Wall Street Journal that one company, for example, asked for a paid faux intruder to take a picture of an executive from a close distance. 

‘[The idea is] show them: “Hey, if this is a bad guy, you’re dead”,’ he added. 

Many CEOs have previously moved without an extensive security team, feeling it to be unnecessary or overly intrusive, but that may be about to change as big companies are reconsidering their approach. 

Corporate events, however, have already seen increased security measures including the likes of Goldman Sachs, who brought in extra security for a recent conference in lower Manhattan. 

At the event, posters encouraging further violence against CEOs were torn down by guards, who were advised to remain on high alert.  

The menacing posters were plastered up on Canal Street – one of Manhattan’s busiest thoroughfares – flanked with the red and black words: ‘Wanted. Denying medical care for corporate profit. Health care CEOs should not feel safe.’

The signs also included the phrase suspected shooter Luigi Mangione allegedly wrote on the bullets found at the crime scene – ‘Deny. Defend. Depose.’

The alliterative trio of words reference a book by Jay Feinman’s titled ‘Delay, Defend, Deny: Why insurance company don’t pay claims, and what you can do about it.’ 

In response to Thompson’s murder, many other health insurers have removed information about their top executives from their company websites, canceled in-person meetings and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. 

Robert D’Amico, founder of Sierra One Consulting who has previously worked for the FBI, said the removal showed they had been listening to security experts.

D’Amico said: ‘These companies are hearing what experts like me have been saying about how easy it is to identify and then find their executives.’

A New York Police Department bulletin warned that the online surge of unrest could signal an ‘elevated threat’ or copycat killings. 

Paul Sarnese, owner of Secured & Prepared Consulting and former president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, told USA today: ‘I think this is a wake-up call to many. I see this as a lightning rod moment to change the security landscape.’ 

Some companies extend the security protection beyond work and pay for teams to monitor online or digital threats. They may also pay for private jets, provide home surveillance systems, trained drivers or security teams while on vacation. 

Mark Zuckerberg – for instance – received security perks valued at $23.4 million to cover security for personal travel, multiple residences and protection for his family.

There is also consideration for permitted weapon carrying, seen as protection teams are considered private citizens and laws can vary by state and local jurisdictions. 

In New York, guards cannot raise a firearm unless they are about to be injured or shot and must retreat unless they are unable to, according to International Security Services. 

Thompson, however, was revealed to have had a security detail with him while in New York City. 

The United Healthcare CEO had an in-house security team assigned for him during his stay in Manhattan, but they weren’t with him at the time of the fatal shooting. 

Thompson’s suspected killer, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, was arrested days later in a McDonald’s with a three-page manifesto. 

In the manifesto, Mangione allegedly wrote about the grandiose size of UnitedHealthcare and how much profit it makes and went on to condemn health insurance companies more broadly for placing profits over care. 

Mangione is currently fighting extradition to Rikers from the State Correction Institution Huntingdon in Pennsylvania. 

His first court appearance occurred on Tuesday, where he was seen yelling to reporters outside the courthouse.

Mangione was heard yelling: ‘Completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience!’

The outburst occurred after someone asked the Ivy League graduate if he ‘did it,’ referencing Brian Thompson’s murder, per the Wall Street Journal.

He also shouted out ‘this is completely unjust and an insult to the American people’ as he wrestled with police officers while shackled and in prison attire.

The investigation into the murder is ongoing as fingerprints found at the scene match the suspected killer. 

Police have also recently uncovered that Mangione appears to have never been insured by United Healthcare. 

‘We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America,’ NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC.

‘He had prior knowledge that the conference was taking place on that date, at that location. So that’s possibly why he targeted that that company.’ 

 Kenny said the gun found in Mangione’s bag also matched shell casings from the scene. 

‘We brought [the gun] to our forensics laboratory, where we were able to match that gun to the three discharge shell casings were recovered at the scene. So it was a ballistics match,’ Kenny said. 

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that San Francisco Police Department officers recognized Mangione and contacted the FBI four days before his arrest.

Police sources told the San Francisco Chronicle that an officer in the SFPD’s Special Victims Unit made the connection on December 5, the day after the NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect.

Despite allegedly reporting the connection the same day, when Mangione was arrested on November 9, New York authorities insisted that he was not on their radar.

Mangione’s arrest captured international headlines and sent social media into a frenzy, with many questioning how an Ivy-league educated, handsome 26-year-old computer programmer from a wealthy family became an alleged assassin.

The suspected killer has been hailed a ‘hero’ by many online users who have created fan accounts, video edits, and memes of him.