Magician David Copperfield is accused of sexual misconduct by five former contestants of the 1991 Look of the Year modeling contest, held in New York City. The contest, a prominent event in the modeling industry, featured aspiring teen models, some as young as 14. Copperfield, a judge at the contest and a celebrated magician, allegedly engaged in inappropriate behavior, including unwanted sexual touching and harassment. One woman claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted by Copperfield when she was 17. These allegations come after prior reports of similar misconduct by Copperfield, which his lawyers deny, asserting he never acted improperly.
At the 1991 Look of the Year event, hosted by Donald Trump at his Plaza Hotel, Copperfield was introduced by Elite's founder, John Casablancas, as a "master magician." Donald Trump and Copperfield were among the judges, and the event, co-hosted by supermodel Naomi Campbell, included contestants from around the world. Behind-the-scenes interactions between Copperfield and the contestants, some captured in photos, are now part of the scrutiny.
One contestant, Jenniffer Diaz, claims Copperfield called her hotel room multiple times, making her feel uncomfortable. Two corroborating witnesses recall these incidents. Another contestant, Aimee Bendio, alleges that Copperfield grabbed her inappropriately during a boat party. Both women say Copperfield continued to contact them after the event, with offers to meet and attend his shows.
In written responses, Copperfield's lawyers dismissed these allegations as false and cited issues with phone scammers using judges' names to contact contestants. They emphasized that Copperfield had a significant profile and insisted there was no inappropriate conduct.
The accusers indicate that the environment created by the judges and organizers facilitated these incidents, with young models pressured and feeling vulnerable. The essay includes several named individuals who have corroborated these claims and settled civil actions for similar misconduct allegations.