Online fast-fashion seller Shein removed a listing for a men’s short-sleeve shirt on Wednesday after learning the vendor was using an image of suspected CEO murderer Luigi Mangione in an ad for the garment.
The “Men’s New Spring/Summer Short Sleeve Blue Ditsy Floral White Shirt” is no longer available. However, a screengrab of the page showed it was marked down to $11.69 and was “sourced from Manfinity.”
On its own website, Manfinity describes itself as specializing in “menswear essentials.”
“The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery, Shein said in a statement. “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.”
It’s unclear how long the ad was on the Chinese e-commerce company’s website.
The bizarre ad caused a stir on social media, with many speculating the image was AI-generated.
“Sellers on Shein will do anything for attention — sometimes a little too anything lol,” a social media user said.
Manfinity frequently uses AI models, according to 404 Media.
Mangione, 27, is accused of fatally shooting former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last December.
After a manhunt, he was apprehended in Pennsylvania and extradited to New York where he pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges. He is currently being held without bail in a Brooklyn detention center.
Federal prosecutors have announced they will pursue the death penalty if he is found guilty. His trial date has not been set.
