Las Vegas mainstay David Copperfield, 67, is accused in a New York lawsuit of trashing his penthouse condominium that he’s owned since 1997.
The board of the Galleria Condominium building located at 117 E. 57th St. in Manhattan alleges in its lawsuit filed in Manhattan’s Supreme Court that Copperfield has been negligent in his residential unit’s ownership. The board argues that Copperfield abandoned the property in 2018 and allowed it to fall into disrepair.
Two major events, one in 2015 and another last December jeopardized the structural integrity of the 55-story building, the complaint adds. Copperfield’s 54th-floor unit, the condo board says, was “a formerly pristine multilevel penthouse” with views of Central Park and Manhattan’s East Side.
In 2015, Copperfield’s rooftop pool allegedly burst due to shoddy construction causing the destructive water flow some 30 stories below. Last December, the plaintiffs say a faulty plumbing valve in Copperfield’s unit caused another water downpour on floors below.
Architects have warned the Condominium that, among other things, Copperfield’s apartment contains unrepaired water damage that is so severe that it presents risks to the ‘concrete structure of the building,’ facilitated the growth of mold and mildew, and actively endangers other apartments,” the lawsuit read. “Copperfield’s motivation to trash his own apartment and permit it to decay is entirely unclear, especially when he still owns the Unit and is marketing it for sale.”
The condo board is seeking $2.5 million in damages from the illusionist to repair the building outside of the unit and compensate impacted homeowners.
More Allegations
One of Las Vegas’ most popular acts, David Copperfield’s reputation has taken a severe hit recently. In May, Casino.org reported on additional allegations of sexual misconduct brought by a group of women against the magician.
Copperfield has also been linked to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and politically connected operative who was later found guilty of sexually abusing underage girls. He committed suicide in a federal prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Copperfield continues to deny ever acting inappropriately with women despite 16 women raising allegations against him. Most said they were underage at the time of the alleged incidents.
The magician’s lawyers maintain that the allegations are “false and entirely without foundation.” The denial has allowed Copperfield to maintain his longstanding residency at MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip where he performs 15 shows a week.
Copperfield has been performing in Las Vegas since 1996. Forbes estimates his net worth to be around $1 billion.
Penthouse Problems
Copperfield purchased his Gallery Condominium in 1997 for $7.4 million. Photographs obtained by Casino.org through the condo building’s lawsuit show a crumbling penthouse with peeling paint, exposed steel beams and HVAC ductwork due to water damage, stained carpet, mildew, and other bacterial growth.
Copperfield attorneys told the New York Post the photographs were part of “a simple insurance claim” and “don’t reflect the current state of the apartment.”
After purchasing the 15,000-square-foot unit, Copperfield, according to an expose on the property published in 2016 by Curbed New York, an urban real estate and interior design website, extensively renovated the property to make it fit for an illusionist. Oddities include trapdoors, a flight of stairs that turn into a slide, and an “exploding table.”
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