Illusionist David Copperfield finds himself entangled in a legal spectacle that’s far from magical. The 67-year-old entertainer is facing a $2.5 million lawsuit filed by the board of managers of the Galleria Condominium, a luxurious high-rise nestled on East 57th Street in New York City. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 6, alleges that Copperfield left his opulent penthouse in a state of severe disrepair before vanishing from the premises in 2018.
The magician’s relationship with the property began in October 1997 when he purchased the multilevel penthouse on the 54th floor for $7.4 million. However, according to court documents, the board claims that Copperfield was “a far cry from a model resident,” transforming his living space into an eccentric showcase of oddities, according to Us Weekly.
Videos by PopCulture.com
“Copperfield notoriously jam packed the unit with novelties such as fortune telling machines, classic arcade games and other, more bizarre items like ‘hazing devices’ apparently used by various fraternities during the turn of the century,” the lawsuit states. This peculiar collection, while intriguing, allegedly contributed to the unit’s deterioration.
The legal filing paints a grim picture of the apartment’s current condition. “To say that he trashed the unit is an understatement,” the plaintiffs assert. “The pictures of the unit are appalling and speak for themselves.” The board included photographic evidence in the court documents, showcasing what they describe as severe damage to the unit’s carpeting, walls, ceiling, bathtub, and more.
Beyond mere cosmetic issues, the lawsuit alleges that the damage extends to the building’s infrastructure. The board claims that Copperfield “caused a valve that exclusively services his Unit to fail, resulting in approximately $2,500,000 of damages to the Condominium’s common elements and elevator systems,” per People.
The lawsuit also recounts a 2015 incident where a rooftop pool allegedly burst due to “illegal and ineffective” plumbing fixtures, causing flooding across 30 stories of the building. This event, the board contends, is just one example of Copperfield’s tumultuous history within the condominium.
Joshua Stricoff, an attorney representing the board of managers, emphasized the severity of the situation in a statement to Us Weekly on Aug. 12. “The pictures contained in the complaint speak for themselves, and no further elaboration is really required,” Stricoff remarked. “The board hopes that Mr. Copperfield does right by the building and does right by his unit, and we’ll pursue the lawsuit in the meantime.”
However, Copperfield’s camp offers a starkly different perspective on the matter. A representative for the illusionist dismissed the lawsuit as “a simple insurance claim” in a statement to People. “The photographs included in the lawsuit don’t reflect the current state of the apartment,” the spokesperson asserted. “This is a court matter and will be handled in court.”
The lawsuit alleges that Copperfield has been uncooperative in addressing the issues, claiming he “refuses to take these issues seriously,” only performing “band-aid repairs of the cosmetic issues.” The board expresses bewilderment at the magician’s apparent indifference, noting that his “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 board further claims that Copperfield “failed to maintain the valves, pipes and other mechanical equipment servicing his unit,” resulting in damage to former neighbors and other parts of the building. They allege that the level of dilapidation “far exceeds a purely cosmetic issue” and that the water damage has “facilitated the growth of mold and mildew, and actively endangers other apartments in the building.”
“In typical fashion, Copperfield refuses to confront the consequences of his actions and denies all responsibility for the damage he has caused to the building and his former neighbors,” the lawsuit alleges.
Currently, it’s believed that Copperfield resides in Nevada, where he continues to perform with his magic and illusion show at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. The plaintiffs hope that this legal action will compel the illusionist to address the alleged damages and take responsibility for the condition of his New York property.
