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Judge orders supervised release for lovebirds charged with scaling Empire State Building
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Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 2, 2026
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Photo by Dean Moses
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 2, 2026
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The couple who made global headlines by scaling the Empire State Building on Wednesday walked free from Manhattan Criminal court Thursday — and shared a long kiss before descending the subway stairs.
Prosecutors charged Angelina Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, with multiple counts including reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and burglary. The sky-high stunt immediately went viral after the couple flew a flag from an antenna atop the tower and Kuznetsov got down on one knee, proposing more than 1,300 feet in the air.
Since the charges are not eligible for bail, the couple from East Orange, New Jersey, cannot be held in jail as their case proceeds. Judge Janice Chen granted them supervised release, meaning they will have to check in with CASES, an organization contracted with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice that helps provide alternatives to incarceration, between court appearances.
According to a criminal complaint, police were notified around 11:15 a.m. Wednesday that there was a “possible breach of security at the antenna located at the top of the Empire State Building.” In order to access that area, people need to use a key card to pass through secure doors on the 102nd floor, leading to restricted areas on the 103rd and 104th floors, the document states.
After seeing a surveillance photograph of the couple atop the antenna, an officer went up to the 104th floor, and found that a lock on the security door had been broken, the complaint continues, adding that it will cost about $2,000 to fix.
As news helicopters hovered, the couple hung a banner that read, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.” According to the complaint, officials had to turn off the building's broadcast antenna, which emits “high frequency radio signals that are powerful enough to cause harm to the human body” before dispatching officers from the NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit to take the lovebirds into custody.
Nikolau and Kuznetsov are already famous on social media for completing similar illegal climbs all over the world, even starring in a 2024 documentary called “Skywalkers: A Love Story."
On Thursday morning, they were led into criminal court in handcuffs, wearing the same skin-tight black clothes in dozens of viral videos. But they were missing one key item: Nikolau’s ring, which she had proudly displayed just moments after the proposal in a photo on Instagram.
The couple didn’t speak during the short court proceeding, which they listened to with the help of a Russian translator.
According to prosecutors, Kuznetsov told police he just wanted to “do something special for his engagement.” The couple allegedly accessed the top floors of the Empire State Building by trespassing overnight in a restricted area.
When they descended that pole, Kuznetsov got down on one knee — sending social media and news helicopters into a frenzy.
A similar press frenzy followed the couple into the hot sun as they left court in Lower Manhattan, grinning and holding hands.
They refused to answer questions from several reporters about the planning and execution of the stunt, but Nikolau confirmed that her engagement ring is at the Midtown precinct where they were arrested.
“Right now we are not ready. We just need to relax,” Kuznetsov said in response to the barrage of questions.
The couple also confirmed they had spent the night in custody, where Kuznetsov said they barely slept because it was “very cold,” later adding that “it’s OK, people are nice there. The police are nice, very nice.”
As they passed the New York State Supreme Court building — where a couple was taking more typical wedding photos on the steps— a group recognized the climbers.
“Oh it’s them!” A man exclaimed as they passed. “You guys are awesome!”
Before going down into the 4/5 train subway station near City Hall, Nikolau and Kuznetsov embraced and shared a long kiss. They are due back in court on Aug. 24.
The couple’s attorney, Jason Krinsky, said they are innocent until proven guilty, but added that at least they had shared a "message of love.”
“She didn’t say ‘no’ and everything went well, so I’m very happy for that. I mean, come on, what a way to propose,” Krinsky told reporters outside the courtroom. “It’s something you could only dream of. So you’ve got to give him some credit for that.”
This story has been updated with new information.
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Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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