London, August 20: Magician David Copperfield has been sued for sexual assault by a 22-year-old fashion model.
TMZ.com reports, the illusionist has been accused by the model of attacking her when she was a guest on his private island in the Bahamas in 2007, according to a federal lawsuit.
The unnamed woman who alleges she met Copperfield during one of his shows in January 2007 before being invited to his holiday home in July that year claims he “attacked her and sexually assaulted her” and threatened to kill her if she didn’t go along with what he wanted.
She alleges she was assaulted by the magician on two more occasions while on the island before reporting the incidents to Seattle police when she arrived home.
However, Copperfield’s lawyers have accused her of fabricating the allegations.
A statement said: “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 is incapable of telling the truth.”
“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,” it added.
—IANS