A Texas man accused of firebombing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home referenced alleged killer Luigi Mangione in online messages months before the attack, as authorities warn of a potential copycat trend.
Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, suggested “Luigi’ing some tech CEOs” in an online exchange with producers of “The Last Invention” podcast, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed screenshots of messages with the podcast producers. Mangione is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December 2024.
Moreno-Gama recorded the interview in January, describing his shift from a self-described online enthusiast to an activist consumed by fears about artificial intelligence, the outlet reported.
He later downplayed the Mangione remarks and rejected violence.
“I understand the frustration with a person who might advocate for that, but it’s not practical,” Moreno-Gama said, according to the outlet. “It’s not worth it,” he added.
Moreno-Gama is accused of traveling from Texas to San Francisco in a planned attempt to kill Altman. Early Friday morning, he allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s home, setting an exterior gate on fire before fleeing. No injuries were reported, and officials have not said whether Altman was home at the time.
Less than an hour later, investigators said Moreno-Gama arrived at OpenAI’s headquarters about three miles away, where he allegedly threatened to burn the building down and kill anyone inside. Surveillance video captured him throwing a chair at the glass doors, police said.
Authorities arrested him outside the building, where he was allegedly carrying a jug of kerosene, a lighter and writings expressing hostility toward artificial intelligence.
Sources familiar with the investigation previously told Fox News Digital the suspect had what they described as a manifesto, a multi-part document that included a list of AI executives and investors along with their names and addresses.
Moreno-Gama appeared in a San Francisco courtroom but did not enter a plea on multiple charges, including attempted murder. A judge granted a delay in his arraignment, and he is due back in court on May 5.
The reference comes amid growing fears of copycat incidents tied to Mangione.
In a separate case, a California man is accused of deliberately setting an April 7 fire that destroyed a 1.2 million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark distribution center in Ontario.
Prosecutors said the suspect, Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, invoked Mangione while filming the fire and complaining about wages. Abdulkarim has pleaded not guilty.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This report has been updated to remove a photo from an unrelated court case.
