A lawsuit filed in New York this month alleges that Copperfield deserted his penthouse in a state of disrepair, leaving the Galleria’s different residents to take care of flooding flats and customary areas under the unit.
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One of many largest names in magic and illusions appears to have pulled off one more trick — however this time, the stage was his New York Metropolis penthouse.
David Copperfield moved into Manhattan’s Galleria constructing in 1997, buying the constructing’s four-story penthouse. He appeared to slide into residency on the constructing comparatively quietly, with solely whisperings at first of his presence. However a long time and a number of lawsuits later, Copperfield asserted his presence with a bang within the type of wreaking havoc on the constructing — and, unceremoniously, appears to have vanished.
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A lawsuit filed in New York this month alleges that Copperfield deserted his penthouse in a state of disrepair, leaving the Galleria’s different residents to take care of flooding flats and customary areas under Copperfield’s unit, as a result of a failed valve the magician uncared for to restore.
Copperfield lives in Las Vegas now and performs his “An Intimate Evening of Grand Illusion” present greater than a dozen occasions per week. The showman’s legal professional within the case advised The New York Occasions that the lawsuit was “nothing but an insurance claim.”
Copperfield reportedly acquired the Galleria penthouse for a cut price, in line with a column from The Day by day Information on the time. The unique asking worth of the unit was $18 million, which was lower to $11 million. The ultimate gross sales worth was simply $7.4 million, in line with the lawsuit. After buying the condominium, Copperfield transferred possession to a shell firm.
The 16,000-square-foot condominium was initially designed for Stewart R. Mott, the son of a Basic Motors government. Mott was a gardening fanatic and had the penthouse designed with glass partitions in addition to 10,000 sq. toes reserved for planting. However as Mott’s concepts for a backyard oasis continued to spool out, prices and building issues additionally arose, and Mott ultimately deserted the condominium, by no means having moved in. One other proprietor occupied the unit for a brief interval earlier than Copperfield moved in.
Copperfield reportedly stuffed the expansive house with vintage novelties associated to magic, in addition to previous arcade video games, in line with information experiences on the time.
In March 2015, the primary main incident came about on the penthouse. A valve within the pump room that helped hold Copperfield’s pool up and operating failed, inflicting extreme flooding all through Copperfield’s condominium in addition to greater than 30 tales under the unit.
Copperfield’s insurance coverage firm sued the corporate that was in control of the pool’s repairs, as did two of Copperfield’s downstairs neighbors. In the meantime, the pool firm sued Copperfield for negligence, whereas additionally blaming the valve producer for creating defective gear.
In the end, the instances have been mixed and settled confidentially.
Throughout a house tour that Copperfield gave The Wall Road Journal in 2016, all appeared righted — Copperfield confirmed off all his devices and curiosities. However the pool, tellingly, was empty.
That show of enjoyable and video games had maybe been an phantasm, nonetheless — by 2018, when Copperfield spontaneously appeared at a Galleria board assembly and provided an impromptu tour of his penthouse, the place was a wreck, in line with residents.
“It was in disarray, very bad shape,” condominium proprietor Sholeh Assadi advised The NYT. “We all saw. He didn’t care.” Within the loos, there was “mildew and mold everywhere,” she added.
In response to the brand new lawsuit, Copperfield ceased to reside in or take care of the penthouse shortly after he was seen at that 2018 assembly. Round that point, he terminated employment of a housekeeper, home supervisor and handyman, all of whom had serviced the unit.
“Rather than moving out in a safe and orderly fashion, Copperfield trashed the unit,” the lawsuit states. “Since then, Copperfield has allowed the unit to devolve into a state of utter disrepair.”
The condominium flooded but once more in December 2023 as a result of one other dangerous valve positioned in a upkeep room devoted to Copperfield’s condominium. The injury, once more, prolonged to flooring under the condominium, impacting elevators and customary areas.
Photographs included within the lawsuit present peeling paint, mould and mildew within the condominium. Repairs value roughly $3 million, in line with constructing administration. The Galleria’s rental board is asking that Copperfield cough up $7.5 million, in addition to still-undetermined punitive damages and authorized charges.
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