Fashion retailer Shein launches a probe due to misuse of Luigi Mangione's image for clothing promotion
Shein, the popular online fashion retailer, is currently under investigation after using an image of Luigi Mangione, a man accused of carrying out the assassination-style killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year, to advertise a patterned short-sleeve shirt on their website.
According to a statement made by a Shein spokesperson to ABC News, the company has stringent standards for all listings on their platform. They have vowed to review their monitoring processes and take appropriate action against the vendor responsible for providing the image.
The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and has since been taken down. However, the origin of the image used by Shein is unclear.
Prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment about the image. If convicted, Mangione faces the possibility of the death penalty.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The trial date has not been set.
ABC News analysis could not conclusively determine if AI was used to generate the image.
Shein spokesperson also mentioned that they are conducting a thorough investigation and will take appropriate action against the vendor. The company has expressed their commitment to maintaining high standards and ensuring that such incidents do not occur in the future.
The patterned short-sleeve shirt retailed for about $10 on Shein's website. It is unclear how long the image of Mangione was used to advertise the product.
As the investigation continues, Shein remains committed to addressing the issue and ensuring the safety and integrity of their platform.
