In an unusual turn of events, a Minnesota resident, wielding nothing more than a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter, found himself in handcuffs after a bold attempt to impersonate an FBI agent. The man, identified as Mark Anderson, was apprehended on Wednesday at a Brooklyn detention facility, where he allegedly tried to orchestrate the escape of high-profile inmate Luigi Mangione.

The Eastern District of New York filed a criminal complaint detailing the incident that occurred at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Anderson reportedly approached the prison’s intake area, presenting himself to the Bureau of Prisons officers as an FBI agent. He claimed to possess a court order supposedly authorizing the release of an inmate.

Although the complaint refrained from disclosing the identity of the inmate Anderson targeted, a law enforcement source informed Fox News that the intended escapee was Luigi Mangione. Mangione is currently facing charges for the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, an incident that shook the nation in December 2024.

At approximately 6:50 p.m., Anderson made his move, approaching the officers with the claim that he carried official documents “signed by a judge.” His plan, however, quickly unraveled, leading to his arrest and the foiling of an audacious escape plot.

In a related court appearance, Luigi Mangione was seen attending an evidentiary hearing concerning the murder case of Brian Thompson. The hearing took place at the Manhattan Supreme Court on December 18, 2025, amidst heightened security and public interest.

When asked for federal credentials, Anderson reportedly presented his Minnesota driver’s license, claimed he was carrying weapons, and threw a stack of documents at officers that an FBI agent described as legal claims against the U.S. Department of Justice.

Officers detained Anderson on the spot and searched his backpack, where they found a large barbecue-type fork and a pizza cutter.

A Minnesota man allegedly posing as an FBI agent was arrested at a Brooklyn jail after trying to free Luigi Mangione using fake paperwork and odd weapons. (Department of Justice)

The New York City Police Department and FBI later responded, and Anderson was taken into federal custody.

Authorities said no inmate was released, and the incident did not disrupt facility operations.

Mark Anderson allegedly tried to free Luigi Mangione from a Brooklyn jail by posting as an FBI agent. Authorities said he was armed with a BBQ fork and a pizza cutter. (Eduardo Munoz/Reuters)

Anderson is charged with impersonating a federal officer, a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to three years in prison.

Mangione has been held at the MDC since his arrest in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson, a killing that drew national attention and intensified scrutiny around executive security. He remains in custody as the case proceeds.