New York’s Empire State Building Climbers Charged, Arraigned

What began as a jaw-dropping rooftop stunt has now landed two social media influencers in legal trouble after they climbed the spire of the Empire State Building and appeared to celebrate their engagement at the top on Wednesday.

Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, were Charged and arraigned on Thursday on felony charges, including burglary, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief. They were released under court supervision and are expected to return to court on August 24, 2026.

According to prosecutors, the pair entered the iconic skyscraper as visitors before hiding inside overnight. They allegedly remained in the observatory complex after closing, bypassed a secured gate, cut two cable locks on the 104th floor and climbed about 1,450 feet above the city.

During court proceedings, prosecutors said Kuznetsov later told the New York City Police Department (NYPD) he wanted to “do something special for his engagement.”

The daring climb forced police to temporarily shut down the building’s broadcast antenna before Emergency Service Unit officers, wearing safety harnesses, scaled the structure and safely brought the pair down. Building officials later described the stunt as “unauthorised” and confirmed that tenants, visitors and observation deck guests were never in danger.