The woman who stole a Knicks-themed trash can after dumping its contents onto a New York City sidewalk during the NBA championship parade has now paid a hefty price for what officials called an “incredibly stupid” stunt.
As New York City erupted in celebration during the Knicks’ NBA championship parade on June 18, one fan’s antics quickly stole attention for all the wrong reasons.
Video shared across social media showed 40-year-old Angie Báez, dressed in Knicks colors, emptying the contents of a limited-edition blue-and-orange city trash can onto a Manhattan sidewalk before casually walking away with the receptacle.
Another image later showed her riding the subway with the stolen bin beside her, turning the unusual theft into one of the parade’s most talked-about moments.
As the video continued to rack up millions of views, attention quickly shifted from what she had done to who she was.
JPMorgan Exec dumped and stole Knicks bin during parade
The New York Post later identified the online star as a JPMorgan Chase executive, serving as executive director of community and industry engagement for card and connected commerce.
According to the outlet, she had been promoted to the role more than a year earlier after building a career focused on community engagement and diversity initiatives.
Before joining the banking giant, Báez reportedly served as executive director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at restaurant review platform The Infatuation, which was later acquired by Chase as part of its expansion into lifestyle content.
The publication’s biography described her as someone whose “dedication to making a positive impact shines through in every aspect of her work.”
It also said, “Angie’s efforts have helped position [the Infatuation] as a trailblazer in the pursuit of a more equitable and relatable food media industry,” calling her one of the company’s “brightest voices.”
“Incredibly stupid”
The viral stunt, however, soon brought consequences beyond social media.
A Chase spokesperson declined to discuss the incident involving Báez, but the banking giant confirmed in a brief statement that “this employee is no longer with the company.”
She also found herself answering to New York City’s Department of Sanitation.
“First, we would reiterate previous comments that dumping trash onto the street and stealing public property for your own personal use are both illegal, antisocial behaviors, and not what New Yorkers do,” the department said in a statement shared by NBC News. “On top of all that, doing both on camera is incredibly stupid.”
And according to People, Báez received a $75 fine for littering after dumping the contents of the trash can onto the sidewalk, along with a second $100 fine for impeding department operations.
‘Glad she got fired’
The fallout also fueled plenty of reactions online after news of her dismissal surfaced.
“Maybe she should fill out an application with the NYC Department of Sanitation? She looks quite comfortable wallowing in garbage. She’s a natural…” one person joked.
Another wrote, “drunk and stupid is no way to go through life. Seems to have worked for her right up until she kissed what was probably a high six figure job goodbye. It must have been the stupid part that did it.”
A third added: “glad she got fired. You know it doesn’t take much to buy spray paint and paint a trashcan those same colors.”
Home sweet home
As for the missing trash can, it eventually found its way back where it belonged.
The NYC Department of Sanitation later confirmed the Knicks-themed receptacle had been returned, sharing the update in a post on X.
“Home sweet home,” the department captioned the post, alongside a photo of the recovered trash can. The image also featured the words: “Welcome back! We missed you!”
What do you think about Báez being fired from her job for stealing the trash can? Please let us know your thoughts and then share this story so we can keep the conversation going!
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