The UnitedHealthcare office complex in Las Vegas was vandalized with red graffiti reading "DENY, DEPOSE, DEFEND" - words similar to the message found at the recent murder scene of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan.

The vandalized complex houses Optum, Inc. and the Health Plan of Nevada, both UnitedHealthcare subsidiaries. The graffiti references a common criticism of health insurance companies' claims handling practices.

The incident follows Thompson's shooting by alleged gunman Luigi Mangione, 26, who, despite having no direct connection to UnitedHealthcare, apparently targeted the CEO over general grievances with the U.S. healthcare system.

Law enforcement is concerned about copycat incidents. A recent case in Florida saw Briana Boston, 42, arrested for allegedly threatening Blue Cross Blue Shield representatives after a denied claim.

Mangione, currently fighting extradition from Pennsylvania, faces murder charges in New York. Betting markets give him a 25% chance of pleading guilty and predict a January extradition with 57% probability.

In Nevada, UnitedHealthcare is the largest insurer with nearly 400,000 members. About 50% of Nevadans receive insurance through employers, 35% through Medicaid and Medicare, and 11% remain uninsured. The average annual family premium for employer-based health insurance in Nevada is approximately $22,000, according to KFF health policy research.

The slogan references the 2010 book "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It" by Rutgers Law Professor Jay Feinman.

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