Copperfield magic canceled by FBI probe

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Copperfield magic canceled by FBI probe

October 22, 2007, 1:15 pm PDT

Associated Press

BANGKOK, Thailand - David Copperfield has canceled upcoming shows in Southeast Asia following an FBI search of his Las Vegas warehouse and a casino theater where he regularly performs.

"His management sent an e-mail to organizers Sunday to inform that his shows will be postponed indefinitely," Kittiyong Achawaphong of RSi Dream Entertainment said Monday. The company organized the 51-year-old magician's shows in Thailand.

Copperfield was also scheduled to perform in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in the coming weeks. The cancellations came after FBI agents conducted searches in Las Vegas last week following allegations that Copperfield "forced himself" on an unidentified woman.

Copperfield's lawyer, David Chesnoff, has said the allegations "are false because David Copperfield has never forced himself on anyone." Neither law enforcement officials nor Chesnoff has provided details about the investigation.

Reached Monday, Chesnoff said the shows were canceled because tour operators in Asia default on their contracts. "Those are serious allegations," Chesnoff said. "But there's no truth to them."

Promoters of some of the Asian shows are trying to negotiate with Copperfield's management to reschedule the performances or recoup some of their losses.

"We are told by Copperfield management that David's show had been canceled by the artist," said Peter Basuki, whose company was organizing the Jakarta show.

"They said they would like to find any other available time to perform in Jakarta," Basuki said. "With this cancellation, we have lost more than $1 million for advertising and other preparations. Business is business. We want to make a profit. But this is making us lose money."