Silicon Valley: A US federal grand jury is investigating allegations that renowned magician David Copperfield raped and threatened an aspiring model after luring her to his private island estate in the Bahamas.
The magician's lawyer has termed the allegations false and accused investigators of impropriety in leaking information to the media.
The Seattle Times reported on Saturday that at least three federal law-enforcement officials confirmed that a federal grand jury is investigating into the allegations. However, no indictment or criminal charges have been filed.
The paper said the woman had told law enforcement that she and her family were approached at a January 25 performance in the Tri-Cities area by a member of Copperfield's entourage.
They were led to special seats, and Copperfield selected the woman to come on stage as part of his act.
The woman told investigators that Copperfield later promised that he could help with her modeling career, and invited her to his private retreat at Musha Cay, Bahamas.
When the 21-year-old woman made the trip in late July – after exchanging e-mails with the 51-year-old magician – she was the only guest on the island, she told investigators.
She alleged that Copperfield raped and struck her during the two days, and afterward threatened her to keep quiet, then escorted her onto a plane.
Copperfield's attorney David Chesnoff said his client has "never struck, forced himself or threatened any woman".
"If some woman told anyone that he did, then she is not being truthful," Chesnoff told TMZ, an entertainment news website.
Chesnoff pointed out that these are not the first allegations leaked in this case which turned out to be false, citing a previous media report that claimed FBI seized $2 million in cash from Copperfield's Las Vegas warehouse, only to be contradicted subsequently by an FBI statement that the reports were untrue and that the money was "neither found nor seized".
"We have been asked to respect the confidentiality of the investigation, but clearly law enforcement officials are not doing the same.
"At least three federal officials have been cited as sources in a Saturday Seattle Times story containing information about allegations being made. This not only unfairly and falsely defames my client, but it undermines the integrity of the entire investigation," the lawyer said.
Chesnoff says that Copperfield is taking these allegations very hard, saying, "It is very hurtful for him to hear and read these horrible, untrue allegations being made against him by a still unnamed woman."
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