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By Marni Rose McFall and Daniel Orton
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U.S. magician David Copperfield has been accused by 16 women of sexual misconduct, with incidents reportedly spanning several decades. Copperfield, through his legal team, has vehemently denied all claims, protesting his innocence and describing the allegations as "completely false and entirely implausible."
The Context
David Copperfield is an American entertainer, renowned for his captivating illusions and television specials. Born David Seth Kotkin, he adopted the stage name "David Copperfield" from the eponymous novel by famed British author Charles Dickens.
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Copperfield rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s with his combination of storytelling and innovative magic tricks. He has won numerous Emmy Awards and holds eleven Guinness World Records. Copperfield's most famous illusions include making the Statue of Liberty disappear, walking through the Great Wall of China, and flying onstage. He is reportedly the richest magician in the world.
The allegations against Copperfield were detailed in an investigation by The Guardian. The newspaper highlighted accusations ranging from inappropriate behavior to drugging and sexual assault, with many of the alleged incidents involving minors at the time they occurred.
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What We Know
Copperfield, 67, faces claims that date back to the late 1980s and extend up to 2014. More than half of the accusers were reportedly under the age of 18 when the alleged misconduct took place. Some of these accusations include claims that Copperfield drugged three women before engaging in non-consensual sexual acts.
Several women have shared that their encounters with Copperfield began through his work in the entertainment industry, often during or after his performances. Fallon Thornton alleged that during a January 2014 show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Copperfield called her on stage and inappropriately touched her.
Records seen by The Guardian showed Thornton reported it to Las Vegas police, the paper said, but police told the paper the case was closed due to "insufficient evidence."
Copperfield's legal team has actively disputed the validity of all the accusations.
"The allegations against Mr. Copperfield are not only completely false but also entirely implausible," said one of Copperfield's lawyers in a statement to The Guardian.
In an email to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Copperfield wrote: "Everyone that knows David Copperfield will tell you that these recent allegations from one newspaper are the exact opposite of who David is.
Copperfield has been publicly accused in the past, including by one of the 16 women cited in The Guardian's reporting. At that time he released a statement before the story broke saying he supported #MeToo and cautioning against false accusations.
His spokesperson alluded to this in their statement to Newsweek: "The movement must succeed, but false accusations must stop for it to flourish."
"He continues to support anyone who has experienced any form of abuse or discrimination," they added.
Update, 5/16/24, 7:22 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from David Copperfield's representative.
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