Online retailer Shein quickly pulled a controversial ad after shoppers noticed a familiar face. The ad seemed to show Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This sudden move came after the image went viral on social media.
The ad featured a person who looked a lot like Mangione, who is 27 years old. He was smiling and modeling a men’s floral button-up shirt, part of the store’s spring/summer collection. The shirt was listed for $11.69 and nearly sold out, even though it was only available in one size.
Shein quickly addressed the situation. "The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery," the company told TMZ in a statement on Wednesday, September 5th. They added, "We have strict standards for all ads on our platform." Shein also confirmed they are "conducting a thorough investigation, reinforcing our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in accordance with our policies."
Many people on social media have guessed that the image of the Mangione lookalike was made with artificial intelligence, or AI. This idea makes sense because Mangione has been held in jail since December 2024.
Luigi Mangione Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images
Mangione is currently in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He is waiting for his trial for the murder of Brian Thompson in New York City. The Ivy League graduate faces a long list of charges. These include four federal charges and eleven state charges, such as murder, terrorism, and harassment. Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Mangione. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, as a prominent entertainment news outlet, Us Weekly, previously reported.
Mangione’s lawyers have not made any public comments about the Shein ad. However, other details about his legal fight have come out. Last month, a federal judge allowed Mangione to have a laptop in jail. Us Weekly revealed this news first. His lawyers had asked for a personal computer. They said it would help their client "adequately prepare for trial and assist in his own defense."
Federal District Judge Margaret M. Garnett signed a court order on August 4th. This order told the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) to "provide Mr. Mangione with the Government-prepared laptop." He can access it seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.