A Texas man facing accusations of firebombing the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made concerning online references to alleged murderer Luigi Mangione months before the incident. Authorities are now cautioning about the potential for similar copycat actions.
The individual, identified as 20-year-old Daniel Moreno-Gama, reportedly mentioned the idea of “Luigi’ing some tech CEOs” in an online dialogue with producers of the podcast “The Last Invention,” as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This conversation included screenshots that the outlet reviewed. Mangione is currently accused of the December 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan.
During an interview conducted in January, Moreno-Gama spoke about his transformation from an online enthusiast to an activist, driven by concerns surrounding artificial intelligence, according to the outlet’s report.
Despite these alarming comments, Moreno-Gama later attempted to distance himself from the Mangione reference, explicitly denouncing violence as a solution.
Appearing in court with public defender Diamond Ward on April 14, 2026, in San Francisco, Moreno-Gama expressed his views on the matter. “I understand the frustration with a person who might advocate for that, but it’s not practical,” he stated, emphasizing, “It’s not worth it,” according to the outlet.
“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.
Left: Daniel Moreno-Gama is seen outside the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a surveillance image released by the Justice Department. Right: Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is seen in court. Moreno-Gama reportedly referenced Mangione. (DOJ; Photo by Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)
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.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, left, pictured in a corporate headshot. He was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, outside a Manhattan hotel while on his way to a shareholder conference. The suspect, Luigi Mangione, is pictured in court on the right. (Steven Hirsch for New York Post via Pool)
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.
