Nathaniel Cullerton Placed on Leave After Viral Central Park Kissing Video With Colleague Kelsey Borenzweig
Nathaniel Cullerton, a partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, has reportedly been placed on leave after a viral TikTok video showed him kissing colleague Kelsey Borenzweig in Central Park. According to reports, the incident also halted his planned move to rival law firm Gibson Dunn as an internal investigation continues.
Nathaniel Cullerton, a partner at Manhattan law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, has reportedly been placed on leave after a video showing him kissing a younger colleague in New York City's Central Park went viral on social media. The reported leave comes as the firm investigates the incident, according to a report.
The video, which has attracted around 4 million views on TikTok, shows Cullerton and colleague Kelsey Borenzweig on a park bench before they are approached by a content creator filming the encounter. The report also says Cullerton's planned move to another major law firm has been put on hold following the video's widespread circulation. Who Are Kelsey Borenzweig and Nathaniel Cullerton? Central Park Kissing Video Goes Viral.
Nathaniel Cullerton Placed on Leave After Viral Central Park Kissing Video With Colleague
Cullerton's Leave Reportedly Linked To Internal Investigation
According to the Financial Times, Cullerton, 45, has been placed on leave from Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz while the firm conducts an investigation related to the viral video.
People familiar with the matter told the publication that Cullerton had been expected to join several lawyers leaving Wachtell for rival firm Gibson Dunn this week. However, the planned move was reportedly halted after the video gained widespread attention online. Viral Video Captures Married Couple Cheating on Their Partners; Netizens Draw Parallel to Coldplay Scandal.
It remains unclear whether Borenzweig, 29, an associate in the same department, has also been placed on leave or is part of the reported investigation. As of Tuesday, both lawyers' profiles remained active on Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz's website.
Video Shows Lawyers Interrupted In Central Park
The widely shared video captures Cullerton and Borenzweig kissing on a bench in Central Park before TikTok creator Jay Guapõ approaches them while recording. "Get a room," implores Guapõ. "There's kids around."
The footage shows both lawyers looking toward the camera and attempting to shield themselves after being interrupted. Cullerton is seen standing and smiling while appearing to gesture for the TikToker to leave. Borenzweig is heard saying, "put the phone down."
"Don't touch me, don't touch, if you touch me I'll have to touch you," the TikTok creator says during the exchange. Jay Guapõ is known on social media for posting confrontational public-interaction videos.
Lawyers Worked On High-Profile OpenAI Case
Cullerton and Borenzweig previously worked on the legal team representing OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, in litigation brought by Elon Musk earlier this year. The pair are members of the same department at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
According to the Daily Mail, Cullerton has been married to Moira Penza, a partner at another New York law firm, since 2016. The report says the couple own an Upper East Side co-operative apartment valued at approximately USD 2.3 million.
The Daily Mail also reported that Borenzweig had recently ended a relationship with another lawyer, citing a source familiar with the matter. Neither Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Gibson Dunn nor Cullerton immediately responded to media requests for comment, according to reports.
The reported investigation remains ongoing, and neither the law firm nor the individuals involved have publicly commented on the allegations surrounding the viral video.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 29, 2026 08:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
