ALBAWABA - The brutal murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson at the Hilton Hotel in midtown New York has revealed new details as authorities search for the assailant and motive.
Thompson was shot and killed by an unknown gunman on December 3. Officials said the bullets found at the scene read "Denial, Defense, Dismissal," indicating a planned attack.
The murder was certainly targeted, according to New York detective division chief Joseph Kenny. “While the motive is unknown, evidence suggests the victim was chosen. Apparently, this is not random violence, he remarked.
Some have linked the bullets' engraved phrases to Rutgers University law professor Jay Feinman's 2010 book Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It. The book criticized health insurance companies for delaying or denying medical claims.
Cybersecurity specialist Hisham Al-Natour indicated professional or financial issues may have caused the crime. He said “incidents like this are not uncommon in high-stakes industries like insurance, banking, or investments”. Executives making big decisions regularly receive threats, which can lead to revenge.”
Thompson's wife told NBC News that her husband had discussed threats but didn't know the details. It may have been owing to a lack of media coverage. He simply said people threatened him, she said.
Thompson managed the world's largest health insurance company, estimated to earn $280 billion this year. Antitrust inquiries and claims of employing algorithms to deny critically ill people essential rehabilitative care have plagued the corporation.
Authorities are investigating the motives behind this deliberate and terrifying attack.
