New York, July 6 (RIA Novosti/GNA) – Russian roofers Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov (Beerkus), who climbed the Empire State Building in New York City, entered three restricted floors and broke the lock to reach the skyscraper’s spire, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office told RIA Novosti on Monday.
Earlier in the day, the attorney’s office told RIA Novosti that the couple faced three serious criminal charges and one administrative offense, with a combined sentence of more than 20 years in prison.
In response to RIA Novosti’s request, the attorney’s office provided a police officer’s testimony, which was attached to the criminal case against the roofers.
The officer said that the Russians did not have permission to access the 102nd and 103rd floors of the skyscraper, as only those with an access card that opens the secure door on the 102nd floor can enter the 103rd floor. After arriving at the scene, the officer discovered a broken lock on the 104th floor door leading to the building’s broadcast antenna, with the cost to repair the damage standing at approximately $2,000.
The couple, known from the Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” surreptitiously bypassed security on Wednesday and climbed to the top of New York’s Empire State Building, where they unfurled a banner with a peace slogan. Kuznetsov then proposed to Nikolau on the top of the skyscraper.
On Thursday, a preliminary hearing in the case against the couple took place. Both Nikolau and Kuznetsov pleaded not guilty and were released from custody without bail, with the next hearing scheduled for August 24.
GNA/RIA Novosti