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Who is Peter Mangione? Luigi Mangione’s cousin signs with Brooklyn FC as alleged assassin faces trial
Brooklyn FC adds Peter Mangione, a former Penn State standout, as his cousin Luigi awaits trial for high-profile murder charges.
Peter Mangione, a professional soccer player and cousin of Luigi Mangione has signed with Brooklyn FC, continuing his career in New York as his relative remains in federal custody, according to the New York Post. The 24-year-old midfielder from Hunt Valley, Maryland, was announced Wednesday as part of Brooklyn FC’s USL Championship roster.
The signing places Mangione just miles from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where his cousin is being held while facing multiple criminal charges tied to the December 2024 killing, the Post reported.
Brooklyn FC is set to open its inaugural USL Championship season on March 8 at Maimonides Park in Coney Island, roughly six miles from the detention facility.
Who is Peter Mangione?
Born on Aug 25, 2001, Peter Mangione is a former Penn State standout who built a strong collegiate résumé with the Nittany Lions. Over his college career, he scored 31 goals and earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors twice, in 2021 and 2023.
He was named vice captain of the Penn State men’s soccer team in 2021.
Former head coach Jeff Cook praised Mangione’s contributions, saying he “made significant contributions to our Penn State men’s soccer program both on and off the field,” the New York Post reported.
Following college, Mangione spent the past two seasons playing for FC Cincinnati 2, a team competing in MLS Next, an amateur league operated by Major League Soccer. During the most recent season, he recorded two goals and five assists across 28 appearances.
In announcing his signing, Brooklyn FC described Mangione as bringing “a balanced midfield profile.”
Legal case involving Luigi Mangione
Peter's relative, Luigi Mangione, 27, is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside an investor conference in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024.
He was apprehended after a five-day manhunt at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He faces charges across federal, New York and Pennsylvania courts, including murder, interstate stalking, illegal gun possession and forgery.
He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has pushed for the death penalty in the case, which would mark the first Manhattan federal execution in more than 70 years. A judge has tentatively scheduled jury selection for September 8, with trial timing dependent on how the charges proceed, the Post reported.
