Luigi Mangione, the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter, was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9. Mangione, who quickly went viral due to his good looks and choice of crime, has become an internet celebrity overnight. And folks with e-commerce stores are looking to cash in on that fame with Mangione-themed merch.
You read that correctly. Everything from Mangione tees and hats to coffee mugs and totes can be found when browsing sites like Etsy and Good Shirts. Of course, because he’s behind bars, Mangione himself isn’t going to be able to make any money off of his own likeness anytime soon. But that’s not stopping a few people on the internet from making a quick buck.
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To the surprise of no one, graphic designers have opted to include Luigi, the beloved character from the Mario franchise (and not the person of interest in a murder case), in many of their designs. Nintendo’s lawyers are notoriously aggressive, so don’t be surprised to see those designs pulled sooner rather than later.
While the concept of selling merchandise depicting an alleged killer may seem disturbing to some, this isn’t the first time something like this involving this particular murder case has happened. A few days ago, a “UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter look-a-like contest” went down in New York City.
Between that, and the merch and the memes, it’s safe to say that the internet can have a good time with just about anything—for better or worse.
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