PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
By Pervaiz Shallwani, Lachlan Cartwright, and Mark Ebner | The Daily Beast
Superstar magician David Blaine is under investigation by law enforcement in New York over allegations he sexually assaulted at least two women, a senior NYPD official with knowledge of the probe told The Daily Beast.
The senior official who has been briefed on the investigation said detectives with the department’s Special Victims Unit took statements from two women. At least one of the claims may fall outside the statute of limitations: a woman told detectives she was sexually assaulted by Blaine inside his Manhattan apartment in 1998, according to a person familiar with her complaint.
The NYPD declined to comment on the case. “The NYPD takes sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously,” Chief Spokesman Phil Walzak said in a statement, “and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a report so we can perform a comprehensive investigation, and offer support and services to survivors.”
Blaine has not been charged with a crime. He told The Daily Beast he has no comment and he has not been approached by police.
Former model Natasha Prince alleged Blaine raped her in London in 2004, an allegation Blaine denied. Scotland Yard detectives took Prince’s statement and later said they declined to take further action after investigating her claim.
Blaine, 45, made a name for himself 20 years ago when he was buried in a coffin underground without food or water for seven days. He made international headlines in 2003 when he remained suspended 30 feet in the air in a transparent, plexiglass case for more than 40 days in London.
Blaine is scheduled to begin a tour of the UK and Ireland in June.
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