Magician David Copperfield Accused Of Sexual Misconduct By 16 Women

David Copperfield is being accused of sexual misconduct by 16 women, half of whom claim they were underage when he allegedly groomed or groped them.

The Guardian published an expansive report Wednesday after speaking with more than 100 people, including former employees who claimed Copperfield tasked them with approaching young women at his shows. The alleged incidents occurred over four decades, according to the report, from the 1980s to 2014.

Three of Copperfield’s accusers also claimed the magician drugged them before their nonconsensual sexual encounters.

HuffPost has reached out to representatives for the magician for comment.

One woman identified as “Carla” claimed Copperfield gave her his phone number and a teddy bear for Valentine’s Day when she was 15. She says he sent her a note, which was given to The Guardian, when she was 16 that read: “In 2 years I will be back.”

Carla said she was only 17 when Copperfield invited her into his limousine and pushed her head toward his crotch. She told The Guardian that she was “not forced” to perform oral sex, but felt “awkward” — as it was her first time.

Carla said they had penetrative sex when she was 18 and believes she was groomed. Copperfield’s lawyers denied that the magician groomed Carla and said their relationship was consensual.

“I was a young schoolgirl infatuated with a man who was famous and I think he used that to benefit him,” she told The Guardian.

Another woman identified as “Gillian” claimed Copperfield invited her and a friend backstage for a drink from the crowd of one of his shows in Las Vegas in the 1990s. Gillian said she was then handed a glass of sambuca that made her feel “weird, physically weird.”

Gillian added she felt “fuzzy” before blacking