A New York City condominium board has filed a lawsuit against famous magician David Copperfield after he left his $7 million Manhattan penthouse in shambles, threatening the building's structural integrity.
The celebrity magician allegedly "trashed" his penthouse at 117 East 57th Street in the Galleria building and left the unit in a "state of utter disrepair." The building's board of managers is now suing him in an effort to force Copperfield to repair damages in his apartment as well as pay for valve replacement.
"The level of dilapidation and decay in Copperfield's Unit far exceeds a purely cosmetic issue," the lawsuit, first reported by The Real Deal, stated. "To say that he trashed the Unit is an understatement."
Some photos attached to the lawsuit included shots of paint peeling away from the walls, crumbling ceilings, and a rusting bathtub.
Magician David Copperfield sued by NYC condo board for trashing, neglecting $7M Manhattan penthouse https://t.co/kXhrmqBb8g pic.twitter.com/7I8vUI5NdF
— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) August 7, 2024
The Galleria board of managers noted that the damage to the famed magician's unit is so bad that it is now compromising the building's stability. The board is seeking $2.5 million in damages.
What Damages Did Copperfield Cause?
In the lawsuit, the condo board attributed much of the damage to Copperfield's unit to his own neglect. In 2015, for instance, a plastic plumbing he was using for his rooftop pool burst. That brought a deluge of water into his four-story apartment and other homes 30 stories below the pool.
Copperfield abruptly moved out of the unit in 2018 and terminated the staff responsible for his condo's upkeep. Following his move, the board claimed Copperfield failed to maintain the mechanical equipment servicing of his apartments. This led to another burst valve in December 2023, which sent a torrent of water into other apartments, hallways, and the building's elevator shafts.
"In typical fashion, Copperfield refuses to confront the consequences of his actions and denies all responsibility for the damage he has caused to the building and his former neighbors," the board said in the lawsuit, adding that an architect has warned about the growth of mold and mildew due to unrepaired water damage in the magician's unit.
Copperfield bought the ritzy Manhattan penthouse for $7.4 million in 1997. Shortly after the purchase, Copperfield transferred the ownership to a shell company he owns, according to the lawsuit.
