A former JPMorgan Chase executive has been fined after returning a New York City sanitation bin that was taken during celebrations of the New York Knicks' NBA championship victory, according to the New York Post.
Bin Recovery and Fines
The New York City Department of Sanitation confirmed that the orange-and-blue Knicks-themed receptacle had been returned after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media. The department shared a photograph of the recovered bin on X, writing, “Home sweet home. Welcome back! We missed you!”
Department officials said the bin was taken after a fan, identified by sources as Angie Baez, emptied its contents onto a Broadway pavement before removing the city-owned receptacle. A spokesperson for the department, Vincent Gragnani, confirmed the recovered bin was the same one shown in the viral video. “Yes, this is the same basket that was in the video. It was returned to us, we removed two stickers from it, and took the photo ourselves at our Worth Street Headquarters – no AI used,” Gragnani said.
Officials said Baez personally returned the bin and received two fines: $75 for littering and $100 for impeding Department of Sanitation operations, the maximum penalties permitted under the law.
Viral Video and Employment Consequences
The incident gained widespread attention after video footage showed a woman wearing Knicks clothing dumping rubbish onto the pavement before walking away with the bin. She was later photographed carrying it on the New York subway.
JPMorgan Chase confirmed that Baez, who had served as executive director of community and industry engagement, is no longer employed by the company. The bank stated, “the employee is no longer with the company.”
Championship Celebration Context
The incident occurred during citywide celebrations after the Knicks secured their first NBA title in 53 years by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games.
