FBI Probed 'Clear Connection' Between Illusionist and Epstein
Newly released documents from the Department of Justice have revealed extensive FBI concerns about a "clear connection" between world-famous magician David Copperfield and the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The files, part of the latest tranche of Epstein-related materials made public, show federal agents in 2007 believed the relationship warranted significant investigation to determine whether the pair shared concerning patterns of behaviour.
Investigation Focused on Potential Victim Referrals
A December 2007 FBI memo from Seattle agents explicitly stated that further investigation was needed to establish "if they [Copperfield and Epstein] both shared a predilection for minors" and whether they "engaged in referring possible victims to each other." The documents reveal that this two-year investigation into Copperfield began after allegations from Seattle woman Lacey Carroll, who claimed the illusionist had raped and sexually assaulted her on his private Bahamian island, Musha Cay.
The FBI investigation, which was eventually dropped around January 2010 without charges being filed, identified what agents described as compelling evidence of connections between the two men. Investigators noted that Copperfield's "business list" - which agents suggested appeared to be "a compilation of females that he targeted for sexual conquest" - included two women who were also witnesses in the Epstein investigation in Miami.
Documented Interactions and Missing Records
The released files show federal agents discovered multiple occasions when Copperfield provided complimentary tickets to Epstein and his guests for performances at the MGM Grand Hollywood Theater. Perhaps more concerningly, investigators noted a "13-year gap" in Copperfield's records seized during raids, covering precisely the period from 1993 to 2005 when Epstein would have become aware of investigations into his alleged sexual misconduct.
In internal communications, then assistant US attorney in Seattle, Susan "Susie" Roe, directly asked Florida counterparts about Epstein's willingness to discuss Copperfield, querying: "Do you think he would ever talk about Copperfield?" The response from Ann Marie Villafaña, the assistant US attorney working on the Epstein case, was unequivocal: "I can definitely say that Epstein will not talk to anyone ... he would just never turn in one of his friends unless it meant a big benefit for him."
Additional Revelations from 2019 Memo
A separate partially redacted memo dated November 2019 - months after Epstein's suicide - contained further explosive claims about the Copperfield investigation. According to this document, the FBI investigation allegedly showed that Copperfield trained his employees to identify young women in his show audiences, specifically targeting those aged from their teens to early twenties.
The memo's author, whose name is redacted, stated that these women were "separated from their boyfriends, families and husbands and brought backstage." Furthermore, the document claimed Copperfield maintained detailed records including "contact information, whether he had sex with them, and a photograph." The author explicitly noted: "I recall Epstein's name coming up in our investigation a number of times and Copperfield appeared to have a very close relationship with Epstein."
Jurisdictional Challenges and Prosecutorial Decisions
The documents reveal that prosecutors faced significant hurdles in pursuing charges against Copperfield, primarily due to jurisdictional issues. Since the alleged rape occurred in the Bahamas rather than on US soil, the US attorney's office believed it might lack proper jurisdiction to bring charges. This challenge was acknowledged in a 2008 email where Villafaña queried whether Carroll had flown to Musha Cay via South Florida, suggesting this might allow for "creative thinking about charging decisions."
Becky Roe, a lawyer for Carroll (no relation to prosecutor Susan Roe), commented that she recalled the FBI "wanted the DoJ to charge" Copperfield and were likely disappointed when this didn't happen. However, she defended the prosecutors involved, stating: "I do not share the opinion [that] the US attorney's office was weak. I [previously] worked with Susie Roe ... and she was definitely NOT weak."
Continued Denials and Evolving Evidence
Throughout these revelations, Copperfield has maintained his innocence regarding all allegations of sexual misconduct or inappropriate behaviour. His lawyers have repeatedly stated that he "was not a friend of Jeffrey Epstein" and that any suggestion of friendship "is totally false and a mischaracterization made by the media." They have characterised the relationship as being "at most, acquaintances" who met on only a "handful" of occasions.
However, the documentary evidence continues to accumulate. Previous Guardian investigations have revealed message pads confiscated from Epstein's residence showing Copperfield leaving messages for Epstein 16 times between 2004 and 2005. More recently, photographs released in December 2025 show Copperfield and Ghislaine Maxwell wearing white robes and embracing in what appears to be Epstein's private island, based on comparative photographic analysis.
The latest document release also includes a 2015 email exchange in which Epstein tells a woman named Nadia that Copperfield acquired Musha Cay "after I told him about it," suggesting Epstein's influence in the magician's property acquisition. As these files continue to emerge, they paint an increasingly detailed picture of the connections between two of the most controversial figures in recent celebrity history, while raising persistent questions about accountability and the challenges of prosecuting powerful individuals.
