NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #5

[jesse]

And I absolutely can not get past, me being in corporate America for decades, I can NOT get past BT arriving in that suit without his laptop or briefcase to a big meeting.

I can. This was not a "working" meeting, where everyone would be firing up their laptops. This was a schmoozing/relationship-building meeting. That's what these things are for.

 

[Universecalling]

Interesting he hasn’t been very consistent about hiding his identity. Why so strict about keeping his mask on and face hidden for days in the hostel, only to reveal it in the taxi and when flirting. Is he kicking himself for letting his guard drop? Why not wear glasses / sunglasses to hide his face. Thats the most puzzling aspect to me.

Seems like the most amateur aspect of this whole situation. Maybe he knows he will be caught eventually and really doesn’t care.

Because this thrust the NYPD into the national spotlight.

A brazen killer struck in broad daylight, committing a crime that was straight out of a Hollywood movie.

It was an absolutely unprecedented crime, and the implications for the city and the department are huge.

Your average murder doesn’t have those implications.

I think it’s important to add that no matter how much we don’t want to believe it, this act also has implications of destabilizing the markets.
The hack earlier this year didn’t only impact UHC, but the ENTIRE medical industry. I cannot stress this enough. Every single entity involved in patient care was impacted; from private doctors’ offices, to multiple (most) Pharma companies and the pharmacy industry. Multiple

 

[MrsWatson]

Where does a person get a large lot of Monopoly money? E Bay? We don’t know how much was in the backpack…maybe it was just one game’s worth, but if was a lot more than that, he had to have gotten it from somewhere.

Amazon, of course!

Amazon.co.uk

 

[jesse]

And if I REALLY let my imagination run wild, BT entering at 6:40AM without an overcoat or a briefcase looks more like "Hi Mr. Thomson, this is the front desk of the Hilton, someone turned in your missing laptop you can come and get it" As in, maybe the perps stole his laptop then lured him out to retrieve it. If I lost my phone or laptop before a big meeting I would be in a full panic and "run across the street" without my overcoat to get it. Again, this is just what it "looks" like to me. Because I don't care what anyone says, that is not a CEO arriving at a big meeting...without an overcoat on a freezing morning or a briefcase with his laptop inside.

It's not weird to me at all. This was not a "working" meeting, where everyone would be firing up their laptops. This was a schmoozing/relationship-building meeting. That's what these things are for.

 

[adot0902]

my issue was her voice when she read that statement. just way too collected in my opinion.
but that doesn't make you guilty, it just makes me interested in her

She has probably had a ton of media training. I know it sounds silly, but twice a year I have to go through media training, and I’m not where close to his level. Plus no shade but women her age in her profession are conditioned to not show emotion. Before my female boss retired she came into the office between her husbands viewing and funeral, it’s not that she wasn’t heartbroken it’s just she was conditioned to put your big girl face on and get your butt to work.

 

[Parsnip]

As expected, I found the following information BBM:

"The use of the allegedly defective AI model, developed by NaviHealth and called "nH Predict,"

"The nH Predict model was developed by NaviHealth Inc, a Tennessee company acquired by UnitedHealth in 2020 for $2.5 billion, the lawsuit states."

"UnitedHealth Group has been deploying AI and ML applications at-scale for more than a decade. Currently, these efforts are focused on reducing administrative burdens and ensuring health care workers can focus on tasks they are uniquely qualified for."

"Coverage decisions are ultimately "based on CMS coverage criteria and the terms of the member's plan," Albright said, adding that the lawsuit "has no merit."

"Aaron Albright, a spokesperson for NaviHealth told CBS MoneyWatch that the AI-powered tool is not used to make coverage determinations but as "a guide to help [UnitedHealth] inform providers ... about what sort of assistance and care the patient may need."

"The plaintiffs are the families of Gene B. Lokken and Dale Henry Tetzloff, both now-deceased patients who were covered by a Medicare Advantage Plan policy provided by UnitedHealthcare. from at least November 2019 to 2023."


There may have been other things I wanted to point out but BT became CEO in 2021, a lot of the problems they are referring to were problems prior to him becoming CEO. They are actually problems that have always been around in the healthcare industry and are not specifically due to anything related to BT personally. The anger regarding the coverage decisions may as well be more about the CMS coverage criteria and terms of the member's plan. There are criteria involved in those determinations that are beyond UHC's control in the matter. I can't speak to details related to those particular lawsuits but when you are dealing with someone who is on Medicare and have a supplemental policy, the terms of that coverage is spelled out before any of the patient's experience these medical emergencies/situations. In all accounts of what I read in the articles, the AI tool is not "denying" claims/coverage.. it is being used for other functions related to the entire process. The named tool, was developed by NaviHealth, not BT... so again, I see people incorrectly stating online that he himself developed this horrible AI program TO DENY claims...which is completely false.

I completely understand the frustrations people experience with their medical insurance. I truly do, but it is NOT due to any one person, it is the entire healthcare industry practices of all involved that culminate into this horrendous problem. You have member s who defraud the insurance companies, you have physicians/facilites who are defrauding the insurance companies as well as the members, you have insurance policies which are set up based on state or federal laws ... The issue is much bigger than the CEO of one organization. Again, the anger directed at this man personally is insane to me and this shooter either hated him personally for some reason or wrongly views him as the entire face of UHC or the US Healthcare system.

RBBM: agree with everything you said here, except for the last sentiment. I think the killer used this target exactly to draw attention to his act, without any real care about what his victim had done.

If it were personal, why wouldn’t the killer shoot him in the face? Why would he have done it in NYC? Why not make it a suicide mission and linger there for the cops?

Imo, this is not a mission- oriented killer.

 

[fridaybaker]

i think there was definitely some degree of luck involved. even if the shooter somehow had BT's best friend feeding him info, that friend is not going to know the exact minute BT is going to leave his hotel room, lol. at the end of the day, the shooter had to make an educated guess.

The thing is, it's looked to me SO MUCH like someone was inside the hotel, tipping off the killer. However, at this point, I think we have to cross that off our list as a possibility, because LE SURELY would have found that person by now, be they unknown loiterer, someone staying at the hotel, or temporary/newly employed employee. I'd imagine that LE would have been all over that scenario within 5 minutes of the shooting.

So, This leaves us more in the direction of what you're suggesting: Killer has found out BT's hotel and general schedule of the conference, and there was some degree of luck/guesswork involved. And: Although BT did walk out of the hotel shortly after the killer arrived on the scene, maybe this didn't necessarily have to be the case? Maybe the killer got into "position", and had prepared himself to wait for an hour or so? It just so happened that BT did, indeed, start early that morning. Yes, it was going to be light soon, and likely more busy, later on, but would this have stopped the killer? He seemed unfazed at strolling past two people in vehicles, and one person standing a few feet away and gunning BT down. He was one determined killer.

 

[krikken]

I am now more curious as to what he placed on the pile of trash right before the murder.

He is captured on surveillance video at I believe 6:19 am stopping in front of a pile of trash bags and bending over and placing something very small on top.

Anyone know if LE ever announced what it was specifically?

I couldn’t find anything that definitively confirmed what it was. Some thought gum or wrapper of some type…

The water bottle and other wrappers and phone were found near where he fled after the shooting from what I’ve read.

Moo… what if the tiny item he meticulously placed on top of the pile of trash was a monopoly game piece? Size works.

What makes me wonder this is we now know He was leaving behind clues and metaphorical and literal puzzle pieces of evidence behind purposefully. To make a point. Wanting these things to be found.

Which is why it made me rethink one of the first videos they released of him putting something very small on top of the pile of trash right before and right next to the place he would murder BT 24 minutes later.

Normally the idea of anyone doing something like this would be ridiculous. But after all the evidence they have found the last few days… is this really that much of a stretch to consider?

Probably yes.

Just wanted to see if anyone had confirmation on the item he left on top of the trash so I could clear my head of this possibility.
View attachment 550167
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isn't It possible he skimmed something off the top of the trash to drop, like a water bottle?

 

[fashionella]

I can. This was not a "working" meeting, where everyone would be firing up their laptops. This was a schmoozing/relationship-building meeting. That's what these things are for.

No CEO walks into anywhere not appropriately dressed. No overcoat on a freezing day? Nope. No way. If you think it's a coincidence that he is not dressed right or carrying a briefcase the moment he got shot, then you aren't thinking hard enough about this. Ask yourself why the shooter was at Starbucks 2.5 blocks away and mysteriously knew when the CEO would exit the Marriott? He knew bc he is part of the conspiracy, the shooter lured out the CEO. They know each other somehow.

 

[Parsnip]

Amazon, of course!

Amazon.co.uk

Something really stupid like buying Monopoly money will take this guy down, imo.

 

[BrianJohnson]

What if suspects father(family member) was a veterinarian and died from being denied and the suspect was a beneficiary and thats the money he’s using to murder the person he blames.


Jmo

Possible but why not turn up on his driveway in Minnesota at 7am, shoot him when he is leaving for work and escape on a motorcycle, far less cameras, traffic, I think a grudge over a denied claim is unlikely

 

[al66pine]

Attention. MSM, SocMedia, LE?

....
it's interesting there is so much attention... for the killing of a billionaire vs others who are killed in the same NYC daily.

snipped for focus @Trino
Yes, lots of MSM & SM attention is focused on this homicide.
Not saying it "deserves" more attention from MSM or SM than other NYC killings (and yes, on average, happening daily*).

If ^ post is saying this victim's $$$ financial circumstances $$$ are prompting the LE efforts, well, that MAY factor in, along w being CEO of a health care company w many extreeemely ☹ ☹ ☹dissatisfied patients.
But from the PUBLIC SAFETY standpoint, LE focus on this shooting death on a city street in broad daylight, apparently premeditated and endangering innocent bystanders, is not surprising imo.
I understand why more investigatory efforts are being applied here than for homicides occurring in PRIVATE homes, apts, & other places where random members of the public are not at risk.

BTW as @rainbowshummingbird (TYVM) posted, Brian Thompson was not a billionaire.**

___________________________________
* "Historical New York City Crime Data"

Crime Stats - Historical - NYPD

From 2000 thru 2023, NYC murder & non-negligent manslaughters exceeded 365 annually, except for yrs. 2013-2019 (lowest yr. 292 killings, highest 335 killings).
Back in 2000 & 2001, 673 & 649.
^ From the NYC's table at https://www.nyc.gov/assets/nypd/dow...ata/seven-major-felony-offenses-2000-2023.pdf

** "... net worth was approximately $43 million, according to Wallmine, per Daily Beast. Wallmine reported that Thompson’s net worth allegedly included over 72,000 units of UnitedHealth Group stock, valued at around $42.9 million, and stock options that were worth over $21 million. The Daily Mail reported that Thompson earned around $10 million per year with his salary at United Healthcare."
^ Dec. 6

UnitedHealthcare CEO Shot Dead by Killer Who Fled on Bike

The shock slaying took place in front of a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

www.thedailybeast.com

ETA:

What Was UHC CEO Brian Thompson’s Net Worth Before Death? Updates on His Earnings, Murder and More

United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was tragically murdered in New York City on December 4, 2024. While the reasons behind the killing are still unknown, people are curious about Thompson’s net worth at his time of death. What Was UHC CEO Brian Thompson’s Net Worth? Thompson’s net worth was...

www.intouchweekly.com

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Playing in the garbage bothered me as well- its an unlikely thing to do under almost any circumstance and perhaps even less likely if you're on your way to murder someone and the clock is ticking. I had this wild thought that maybe he stopped at Starbucks to get a water bottle and then planted DNA on it from the trash.

Without a great shot of his face, or digital forensics placing him there, this DNA is the only thing that will ever link him to this murder.

I just had a really weird thought. What if his DNA shows he's a relative of someone known to LE so he wanted to supply his DNA to LE?

Just a wild thought that just popped into my head. I realize it's far-fetched, but what the heck - tossing it out there.

jmo

 

[Agatha3]

You can apply them with makeup, but this would be excellent work if he'd done that, and consistent over multiple days of surveillance photos. You can also get microblading, where a very fine blade is used to tattoo the brows into a thicker shape or fill them in.

One eye looks like eyeliner under it.

 

[comegetburnt]

It is also possible the killer was lying in wait for anybody from UNH and only knew the conference was going to be there on that day.

i don't know that there's any evidence to unequivocally refute this theory. but what an amazing stroke of "luck" if his plan was that open-ended, and he nonetheless ended up murdering the CEO of United's insurance division, the business unit within all of UHG that is the most frequent subject of the public's ire.

 

[adot0902]

One question, when I go to NYC I take the subway or blackcars (the suvs). I use cash for both because I have no faith in humanity. But why would you take a cab when you have cash and not a black car, they are maybe 25% more but offer privacy. I don’t know the cabs confuse me… or do black cars have cameras and I’m just ignorant to them?

 

[Deleted member 117884]

i don't know that there's any evidence to unequivocally refute this theory. but what an amazing stroke of "luck" if his plan was that open-ended, and he nonetheless ended up murdering the CEO of United's insurance division, the business unit within all of UHG that is the most frequent subject of the public's ire.

And escaped out of the city within an hour. I don't think the assassination was happenstance, but I do wonder what else he staked out in 10 days.

jmo

 

[eddie_van]

One question, when I go to NYC I take the subway or blackcars (the suvs). I use cash for both because I have no faith in humanity. But why would you take a cab when you have cash and not a black car, they are maybe 25% more but offer privacy. I don’t know the cabs confuse me… or do black cars have cameras and I’m just ignorant to them?

I think every car that takes passengers in NYC will have a camera these days, yes

 

[Parsnip]

One question, when I go to NYC I take the subway or blackcars (the suvs). I use cash for both because I have no faith in humanity. But why would you take a cab when you have cash and not a black car, they are maybe 25% more but offer privacy. I don’t know the cabs confuse me… or do black cars have cameras and I’m just ignorant to them?

That is interesting! What is a blackcar? Is it something that anyone in the NYC metro area would know about?

 

[jimg77]

It's not weird to me at all. This was not a "working" meeting, where everyone would be firing up their laptops. This was a schmoozing/relationship-building meeting. That's what these things are for.

I said in an earlier post. When companies rent a large conference room in a Hotel they also rent a few smaller rooms for the higher ups to hang out in before the main event. These rooms are secured with access control so they can leave whatever they want in them. Our company calls them huddle rooms. We even have these kind of rooms in our corporate headquarters outside the larger conference rooms and the auditorium.