Award-winning magician David Copperfield is being sued by the New York City Condominium Board for abandoning his $7 million penthouse, leaving it in a “complete state of disrepair” and causing it to be destroyed.
Copperfield, once Explained by Forbes Magician John McGregor, who has made more than $1 billion during his showbiz career and is known as the “most commercially successful magician of all time,” is being accused of trashing his former Galleria condominium complex, causing millions of dollars in damage to the building, Fox Business reports. Reported.
“Mr. Copperfield’s motive for vandalizing and disrepairing his apartment is entirely unclear, especially since he still owns and has the unit for sale,” the lawsuit, obtained by the outlet, states. “At a cosmetic level, the condition of Mr. Copperfield’s unit clearly violates the condominium bylaw requirement that all units be kept in ‘excellent condition’ and in ‘good condition and cleanliness.’ However, the extent of the disrepair and deterioration of Mr. Copperfield’s unit goes far beyond mere cosmetic issues.”
According to the condo association, Copperfield hasn’t lived in the apartment since about 2018, and the property is suffering from “unrepaired water damage severe enough to endanger the building’s concrete structure.”
The lawsuit also alleges the room suffers from mold growth and could pose a danger to others in the building.
Copperfield responded to the allegations through a representative statement to Fox Business, saying, “This is simply an insurance claim. The photos attached to the lawsuit do not reflect the current condition of the apartment. This is a court matter and will be handled in court.”
The lawsuit also says Copperfield did not take the dangers seriously and only made superficial repairs without trying to solve more pressing problems.
The magician allegedly “left serious underground problems in his unit unattended and allowed them to worsen, compromising the health, safety and well-being of other unit owners.”
A valve left inside the unit also allegedly caused $2.5 million in damages.
“In typical fashion, Copperfield refuses to face the consequences of its actions and denies responsibility for the damages it caused to the building and its former neighbors,” the complaint states. “Accordingly, the Board brings an action for specific performance to compel Copperfield to remedy the unsafe and unacceptable unsanitary conditions in the unit and to recover monetary damages caused by the valve failure.”
The committee added that the installation “does not serve the rest of the building”, saying:
Therefore, it is only natural that owners have an obligation (contractually obligated) to repair and maintain their units. And because units are at the top of the condominium, maintenance of the mechanical facilities is not only important to ensure the standard of living of the unit itself, but is also paramount to ensuring the safety of the other units and common areas of the condominium.
Copperfield transferred ownership of the condominium to a Nevada corporation called SkyTower, but the board claims the magician is the corporation’s “president, secretary, treasurer and sole director” and is “merely an instrument of Copperfield and his alter-ego.”
“The distinction between Sky Tower and Copperfield is as illusory as the magic of Copperfield,” the lawsuit states. “Sky Tower does not conduct business, collect rent, or participate in any form of commercial transaction. To the extent that separate accounts exist, Copperfield is, individually, the sole source of those funds.”
“Mr. Copperfield has not admitted any responsibility for the damage he caused to the apartment building,” the board argued, adding that the full extent of damage caused by his negligence is unknown because “the deterioration of the apartment building that Mr. Copperfield permitted likely extends to the basement.”
