(NEXSTAR) – Shein, an online fast-fashion retailer, has taken down a listing for a men’s short-sleeve shirt after it was found that a third-party vendor had used Luigi Mangione’s likeness to promote the product.
The deactivated product listing showcased an image that seemed to portray a man resembling Mangione wearing a “Men’s New Spring/Summer Short Sleeve Blue Ditsy Floral White Shirt,” according to Shein’s archived website. The origin of the image was unclear; however, social media users have speculated it might be an AI–created model
A representative for Shein did not say how they believed the image was created.
“The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery,” a Shein spokesperson stated in a communication obtained by Nexstar’s WPIX. “We have stringent standards for all listings on our platform. We are conducting a thorough investigation, strengthening our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in line with our policies.”
Mangione, 27, is accused of murdering former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was shot in New York City in December 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges. He is currently detained without bail in a Brooklyn detention facility.
Thompson’s killing, who was at the helm of one of America’s largest health insurers, caused a significant public outcry surrounding the nation’s health care system. Many citizens responded to the incident by sharing personal tales of challenging experiences with insurance companies. Mangione, an Ivy League alumnus from a notable Maryland real estate lineage, has also been depicted as a vigilante figure by individuals critical of the insurance sector.
Recently, prosecutors submitted a filing asserting that Mangione has incited others to resort to violence, pointing to July’s fatal mass shooting at the National Football League headquarters.
“Simply put, the defendant hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives,” they said. “Since the murder, certain quarters of the public — who openly identify as acolytes of the defendant — have increasingly begun to view violence as an acceptable, or even necessary, substitute for reasoned political disagreement.”
Prosecutors plan to argue that Mangione deserves the death penalty in federal court. No federal trial date has been set.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
