Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov woke up in the cell after their high proposal. Hours later they were kissing on the steps of the courthouse as if the whole thing had never happened.
So what exactly are Angela Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov accused of, and how did they get to the top of the Empire State Building unstoppable?
Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus walk out of New York City Criminal Court following their court appearance on July 2, 2026, after the pair scaled the Empire State Building. Photo by Bing Guan / Reuters.
Start with charges. Nikolau, 33, and Kuznetsov, 32, were charged with three counts (burglary, criminal reckless endangerment) and three counts (criminal trespass, criminal burglary and possession of burglary tools), according to the New York Post.
Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus leave the New York City Criminal Court following their trial on July 2, 2026, after breaking the Empire State Building barrier. Photo by Bing Guan / Reuters.
Now how? Law enforcement sources say the couple bought tickets Tuesday at 9 p.m. and hid in the historic Midtown neighborhood overnight, waiting for closing time and the last crowds at the screenings.
Two passengers climb the spire of the Empire State Building in New York City on July 1, 2026, as part of a strike that has attracted widespread attention. Photo by Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images.
At about 5 am they came out of the hatch on the 102nd floor. Kuznetsov used tools to loosen the metal cable brackets that span the stairs, and the two climbed the pole more than 1,000 feet, where he proposed.
Perched atop a pillar of the Empire State Building, two black people unfurl a banner that reads “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world knows peace” on July 1, 2026. Photo via REUTERS/ABC Affiliate WABC.
Their first married night was spent in separate cells. They were arraigned around 09:00 on Thursday at the Manhattan Criminal Court on Center Street, still wearing the same black clothes, and were released without bail. They will appear in court again on August 24.
Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus kiss in the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station on July 2, 2026, shortly after their arraignment in NYC Criminal Court. Photo by Bing Guan / Reuters.
The defense attorney, Jason Krinsky, said that the charges were excessive, and that even the people of the building agreed that there was no risk to the tenants or visitors to the observation area, and they depended on its love. “It was a message of love,” he said. He never said ‘no.’ So you have to give him that.”
Angela Nikolau and Ivan “Vanya” Beerkus leave the New York City Criminal Court following their trial on July 2, 2026, after breaking the Empire State Building barrier. Photo by Bing Guan / Reuters.
Photographers caught the couple kissing as they left the courthouse and headed for the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall subway station, a long public kiss before disappearing in private.
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