Magician David Copperfield sued for allegedly destroying $7 million New York penthouse: ‘A state of total disrepair’

David Copperfield is facing a lawsuit from his New York City apartment condominium board, which accuses him of destroying his penthouse after “abandoning” it around 2018, allowing it to “degrade into a state of total disrepair.”

The property is worth $7 million.

“Copperfield’s motivation in destroying his apartment and allowing it to decay is not entirely clear, especially when he still owns the unit and is marketing it for sale,” reads the lawsuit obtained by Fox News Digital. “On an aesthetic level, the condition of the Copperfield unit clearly violates the requirements in the condominium bylaws that all units be maintained in ‘first class condition’ and in ‘good repair and cleanliness.’ However, the The level of degradation and decay of the Copperfield Unit far exceeds a purely aesthetic issue.”

A representative for Copperfield told FOX Business, “This is a simple insurance claim. The photographs included in the lawsuit do not reflect the current state of the apartment. This is a judicial matter and will be handled in court.”

The suit alleged that the architects warned the condominium board that the 54th-floor wizard’s unit overlooking Central Park and Manhattan’s east side had “irreparable water damage so severe that it presented risks to the” structure concrete of the building.” The lawsuit also alleged that the property had mold and mildew growth, endangering other apartments in the building.

The condo board said the 67-year-old refused to take the matter seriously and made only cosmetic repairs to his apartment at the Galleria Condominium on 57th Street in Manhattan“letting serious subsurface problems in his unit worsen, to the detriment of the health, safety and well-being of his fellow unit owners.”

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The lawsuit also alleged that Copperfield caused a valve to fail in his apartment, which is mostly served by his own mechanical equipment, causing $2.5 million in damages. He added that Copperfield is required to maintain the exclusive equipment of his apartment.

“As usual, Copperfield refuses to face the consequences of its actions and denies any responsibility for the damage it has caused to the building and its former neighbors,” the lawsuit reads. “Therefore, the Board brings this action for specific performance – to compel Copperfield to repair the unsafe, unacceptable and unsanitary conditions of the Unit – and for monetary damages arising from the failed valve.”

He added that “the equipment does not serve the rest of the building, so it stands to reason that it should be (and, contractually, is) the repair and maintenance obligation of the owner of the Unit. And because of the location of the Unit at the superior of the Condominium, the maintenance of the Mechanical Systems is not only fundamental to guarantee the standard of living within the Unit itself, but is also fundamental to guarantee the safety of the other units and the common elements of the Condominium.”

Copperfield purchased the condominium for $7.4 million in 1997 and allegedly transferred ownership of the unit to Sky Tower, a Nevada corporation “of which Copperfield purports to be the president, secretary, treasurer and sole director.” , the lawsuit states, arguing that the company is “nothing more than a tool of Copperfield and his alter ego.”

It added: “The distinction between Sky Tower and Copperfield is no less illusory than one of Copperfield’s magic tricks. Sky Tower does not conduct business, collects no rent, and does not engage in any form of commerce. To the extent that it has separate accounts, Copperfield – individually – is the sole source of such funds.”

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After purchasing the apartment, Copperfield filled it with “novelties” such as classic arcade games, fortune-telling machines, and “more bizarre items such as ‘hazing devices’ apparently used by various fraternities during the turn of the century.”

In 2015, the roof of Copperfield swimming pool burst “due to the use of illegal and ineffective plastic plumbing fixtures,” causing damage to the building’s elevators and up to 30 floors below, the lawsuit stated.

The lawsuit included photos showing paint and plaster peeling from the walls and ceiling, as well as a stained bathtub and stains on the carpet.

An architectural firm that assessed Copperfield’s apartment reportedly told the council that “damage to the exterior elements of the unit” showed “severe water damage which could cause damage to other apartments, damage to the” concrete structure of the ‘building “and energy loss”. ,” irregular temperature control that puts structural elements of the building at risk, pipes at risk of bursting and inadequate protection from gas leaks.

The lawsuit alleged that Copperfield fired all maintenance staff when it “abandoned” the building in 2018.

The council estimated damages of almost $3 million after Copperfield caused a “cascade of water which damaged other units” following a valve failure.

“Copperfield has refused to assume any responsibility for the damage it has caused to the Condominium,” the lawsuit reiterated.

The board added that it did not know the full extent of the damage to his apartment because “the level of decay that Copperfield allowed to occur in his unit likely penetrated to the subsurface level.”

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The board estimated that damage to the apartment will exceed $2.5 million and also sought punitive damages as well as costs and attorney’s fees in connection with the dispute.