Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Accused Ivanka Trump Stalker Headed Back To Psych Ward
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 12, 2011
Modified May 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published May 12, 2011
Modified May 12, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The last we heard from "fake stalker" Justin Massler, aka Cloud Starchaser, the man who is accused of stalking Ivanka Trump in a number of colorful ways, he had been captured by bounty hunters while on the lam, brought back to NYC and ordered to take a psychiatric evaluation. Today, a judge ruled that Massler is indeed unfit to stand trial, thanks to both the psychiatric evaluation as well as this statement he made in court: "The psychiatric system was corrupt. I feel that I was under some supernatural influence and that aliens could have been involved. Is there a doctor who will agree with me?"
The judge sent Massler to Bellevue Hospital's psychiatric ward for one year; Massler, who is a diagnosed schizophrenic, has spent some time in psych wards in the past. Earlier this year, he told us a bit about those experiences, about how he was working on a book on psych wards, and his perspective on why he didn't belong there:
The problem is, prior to this Ivanka Trump Stalking Act, I was also working on a book project about psych wards, and I got myself thrown in a bunch of psych wards intentionally to do research for the book. So as a result, I have like a long history of being in different psych wards, but it's all just you know, book research, like Joaquin Phoenix when he flipped out on Dave Letterman, and it turned out to be a documentary. And then you know I did the whole King of the Jews routine [as part of his "fake stalker thing," Massler wrote to Trump that he was "like the Jewish Messiah"] in a psych ward, and they diagnosed me as schizophrenic: that's actually why I got that diagnosis, because the psychiatrist is like, "What do you do?" And I'm like, "Oh basically, I'm the King of Israel, just working on a mission to bring peace to the Middle East with God's help, also thinking of traveling to Mars later," and then he writes, "The subject is delusional, believing himself to be the King of the Jews and a Space Captain."
Massler is charged with criminal contempt for stalking Ivanka Trump, which carries up to four years in prison. He was initially charged with misdemeanors, but it was raised to felonies after he violated an order of protection by trying to contact the Trump family earlier this year. "It's unfortunate that someone who had so much promise growing up would be affected by mental illness this way, and cause him to deteriorate to this level," his lawyer said.
Tagged
bellevue hospital
cloud starchaser
ivanka trump
justin massler
psych ward
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Queens mother charged with murder in death of 5-year-old daughter, NYPD says
Francis Cabello, 32, was arrested and charged on Thursday.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 11:57 a.m. ET
NYC’s whiplash weather continues into weekend with heavy winds, chilly temps, NWS says
Friday expect scattered showers and thunder, cooler temperatures Saturday, and a sunny Sunday.
By
Monica Melton
News
NYC’s whiplash weather continues into weekend with heavy winds, chilly temps, NWS says
Friday expect scattered showers and thunder, cooler temperatures Saturday, and a sunny Sunday.
By
Monica Melton
Early Addition: Winning an affordable housing lottery is great unless it's not
By
James Ramsay
Mamdani and 100+ NY officials urge parking lot owners to ban ICE
By
Arya Sundaram
NYC ambulance response times have grown 41% as life-threatening calls rise
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .