David Copperfield is facing a new lawsuit, which alleges the renowned illusionist abandoned his multi-million dollar Manhattan penthouse and allowed it to “devolve into a state of complete dilapidation,” putting the building’s structural integrity at risk.
Copperfield purchased the largest apartment in the Galleria Condominium, a ritzy 55-story complex on East 57th St., in 1997 for about $7.4 million. He transferred ownership to a shell company shortly after the purchase, according to the suit brought by the condo’s board.
Copperfield proceeded to fill the 15,000-square-foot quadruplex “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 Independent reported.
In 2015, his rooftop pool burst, allegedly due to his use of “illegal and ineffective plastic plumbing fixtures,” the suit also claims. The incident left the building’s elevator system damaged in addition to causing flooding as far as 30 floors below his unit.
The magician for years ignored necessary window repairs in his unit, bringing “the Condominium to the brink of litigation,” the suit alleges.
Copperfield “abandoned the unit” in 2018, “stripping it of its furniture and fixtures.” According to court documents, he “trashed” the place upon move-out and left it in “appalling” condition. He also fired his house manager, housekeeper, and handyman, who maintained the unit’s purpose-built mechanicals — all without alerting the board.
The lack of care resulted in a valve failure in Copperfield’s mechanical room in 2023, resulting in flooding throughout several apartments, elevator shafts and hallways. The incident completely “blindsided” building management and cost an estimated $3 million in repairs, according to the suit.
A company hired by the condo board to assess the damage said the current condition poses “potential safety and health hazards,” NBC New reported. It added that “some of the more significant and dangerous issues such as subsurface decay/damage, structural stability and mold growth remain unaddressed.”
The condo board is demanding a total of $7.5 million, plus yet-to-be-determined punitive damages and legal fees.
