David Copperfield denies rape allegations
The lawyer for David Copperfield denied allegations Friday that his client committed sexual misconduct.
"The allegation is 100 percent false, and we deny it in the strongest possible terms," Las Vegas lawyer David Chesnoff said in a statement. "Unfortunately, false allegations are all too often made against famous individuals."
The FBI's Seattle office was investigating the Las Vegas-based illusionist for possible sexual misconduct outside the country, a source familiar with the investigation said.
A Seattle woman told police that Copperfield had raped her in the Bahamas, the Fox News Channel reported Friday.
Seattle police referred calls to the Seattle FBI office, where a spokeswoman declined to comment because of the ongoing investigation.
The magician owns an island resort in the Bahamas called Musha Cay at Copperfield Bay, which he bought last year.
Federal agents on Wednesday searched Copperfield's Las Vegas warehouse on West Russell Road and the theater where he performs at the MGM Grand. Copperfield performed his two scheduled shows that night.
He is scheduled to perform in Southeast Asia the next several weeks before another run of shows at the MGM Grand starting Nov. 15. Copperfield has been a regular headliner on the Strip since the mid-1980s.
His warehouse, which he has owned since 1991, holds his show props, a rehearsal studio, an 80,000-piece magic memorabilia collection and a second-floor apartment for the magician.
Contact reporter Brian Haynes at bhaynes@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0281.
