HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Magician David Copperfield is being sued by a woman who claims the magician sexually assaulted her.
The woman, a 22-year-old fashion model and former Miss Washington USA contestant, claims Copperfield sexually assaulted and threatened her while she was a guest on his private island in the Bahamas.
Copperfield's lawyers Angelo Calfo and Patty Eakes released a statement denying the allegations, saying that the lawsuit is "extortion for money, plain and simple."
The following is their complete statement:
"Copperfield Sets the Record Straight About Lawsuit"
Two years ago, false reports surfaced in the media that a Washington woman claimed she had been assaulted by David Copperfield. Now, this same woman has filed a lawsuit on this false, two-year old claim to get money. We had hoped to avoid responding to her allegations in public, but her filing of this lawsuit has forced us to do so, to respond to these false allegations and set the record straight.
This woman, who filed the lawsuit, has a history of lying. She has lied to law enforcement before and, as a result, had innocent people arrested based on a false accusation. She bragged to one of her closest friends that she could make up allegations against a guy to "take a guy down" if she wanted to. She said this before she even met Mr. Copperfield. Witness after witness who know her personally say she is incapable of telling the truth.
Her pattern of lying continues in this lawsuit. The facts are that there were more than twenty women and men on the island during her visit. The allegation that there was no one on the island to help her - even if she needed help - is preposterous. She met and talked with many people on the island, and spent hours with them on the beach, without Mr. Copperfield even present. Among the people she met was a female live-in island manager, who spent time with her on the island and told her that if she needed anything to just call. She never complained to anyone about her treatment, never showed any signs of distress and no one on the island saw her with scratches, bruises or any other signs of assault. That's because nothing of the sort ever happened. Instead, she sun-tanned in her bikini listening to her IPod, jet-skied with island visitors, had playful conversations with guests, and swam on island beaches, day after day. She even had dinner with a group of island guests.
The notion that this woman was trapped on the island is absurd. There are telephones everywhere throughout the island that allow guests to call anyone in the world, including "911." There is cellular phone coverage and even internet access on the island. She had access to jet skis and boats that she could have taken to the neighboring inhabited islands that are minutes away and not owned by Mr. Copperfield. She came to the island because she wanted to - no one lied to her - and she could have left the island on her own at any time.
This lawsuit is extortion for money, plain and simple. Unfortunately, false claims like this only hurt the women who really have been abused, women who really need our help.
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