A man from Minnesota finds himself embroiled in an audacious plot to break a high-profile inmate out of jail. Mark Anderson, the individual at the center of this dramatic scenario, was apprehended on January 28 at a federal jail in New York. The man allegedly posed as an FBI agent in a failed attempt to liberate Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to a criminal complaint obtained by Oxygen.

Although the official complaint did not specify the inmate Anderson aimed to free, a law enforcement insider confirmed to CNBC that Mangione was indeed the target of this brazen jailbreak attempt.

Details from the complaint reveal that the 36-year-old made his way from Minnesota to the bustling city of New York. Upon arrival, he entered the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he reportedly claimed to be an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This encounter, which occurred on January 29, involved Anderson allegedly presenting himself to the officers at the detention center and asserting his authority.

In a bold move, Anderson is said to have approached the intake area of the facility, where he insisted to the uniformed staff of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) that he possessed official documents, supposedly signed by a judge, which authorized the release of a particular inmate held there. This dramatic declaration, however, was not enough to convince the authorities, leading to Anderson’s arrest and the unfolding of this remarkable tale.

The complaint alleged that Anderson “approached the intake area inside the MDC and claimed to uniformed members of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (‘BOP’) that he was an FBI agent in possession of paperwork ‘signed by a Judge’ authorizing the release of a specific inmate who was in custody at the MDC.”

After Anderson was asked to provide his credentials, authorities allege he produced his Minnesota drivers license and “claimed to be in possession of weapons,” prompting officers to detain him at the scene. 

Inside the complaint was a photo of items found in his backpack, including a large barbecue-style fork and a round steel blade resembling a pizza cutter.

A law enforcement source told CNBC, Anderson was in New York City seeking a job opportunity that did not work out and had been working at a pizzeria. 

The incident occurred hours after state prosecutors argued that Mangione’s state trial should begin in July, two months before jury selection in his federal trial is currently scheduled to get underway. 

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges alleging he had stalked Thompson and fatally shot the CEO in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4, 2024. 

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