--- title: "Bill Burr: Murdered Insurance CEO Was a “Gangster”" description: "Comedian Bill Burr was brash in his condemnation of slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who he likened to a \"gangster.\"" date: "2024-12-09" modified: "2024-12-09" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/bill-burr-murdered-ceo-gangster" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "brian thompson" - "insurance" - "murder" - "the digest" --- # Bill Burr: Murdered Insurance CEO Was a “Gangster” ![Comedian Bill Burr was brash in his condemnation of slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who he likened to a "gangster."]() *\Image: Tommaso Boddi for Variety / Stephen Maturen via Getty / Futuris\* ## Mob Life Comedian Bill Burr was brash in his condemnation of slain UnitedHealthcare (UHC) CEO [Brian Thompson](), who he likened to a "gangster." The funnyman made the quip about the Thompson when speaking to podcast cohost and fellow comedian Paul Virzi on their show "[Anything Better?]()" after news of the murder broke. "You know what's funny, I was sitting there reading an article, and a guy was like, 'Oh my God, he's such a great guy. He had a wife and kids, and he's such a great guy,'" Burr said of the 50-year-old insurance CEO. "And then you find out, he and the other guys he's working for are getting sued... for dumping a stock, and not letting the other people know." In the clip, Burr seemed to reference [reports from earlier this year]() revealing that the Department of Justice was investigating UHC and Thompson for alleged antitrust activity. In a subsequent lawsuit, Thompson and other executives at the massive insurer were accused of selling off company stock in droves after they learned about the investigation — [without informing shareholders]() of the probe. In the wake of his murder, that DOJ probe has [come back to light]() as speculators and law enforcement rush to [figure out the motives]() of his mysterious assassin. Police have [arrested a person of interest]() for Thompson's murder after a days-long, multi-state [manhunt](). "There's your motive!" Burr joked, echoing [conspiracy theories]() that have circulated online in the aftermath of the CEO's murder. https://youtu.be/OTzHjLd935g?t=128 ## Suit Says Thompson and other executives at UHC were, according to [Crain's reporting]() after the investigation was initially revealed, accused of selling off stock ahead of the probe being made public. As Burr rightfully pointed out, businessmen like Thompson who are accused of [insider trading]() are "all on the legal side of stealing." "They're gangsters, dude," he enthused. "And then one of them gets whacked or something and \[the media are\] like 'Oh my god, he was such a good guy.'" "It's a dirty game," Burr said. "Healthcare, a dirty game." The comedian's comments on his podcast echo the discourse surrounding the CEO's murder, which has been [met with celebration]() by many amid growing anger about healthcare costs. To his credit, Burr isn't dancing on Thompson's grave — but right about the sentiments of the American public: you might not celebrate when a bad person dies, but there's no pressing need to mourn. **More on the UHC CEO murder:** *[Murdered Insurance CEO Had Deployed an AI to Automatically Deny Benefits for Sick People]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()