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David Copperfield - Source: BANG Showbiz
David Copperfield says the stigma of being accused of sexual assault will never go away.
The 55-year-old magician was interviewed by the FBI and state prosecutors during a two-year investigation after he was accused of imprisoning and assaulting a woman at his Bahamas home in 2007 but no charges were ever brought.
However, his accuser, former beauty queen Lacey Carroll, was later arrested for making false sexual assault allegations against another man. But Copperfield says it is not enough vindication.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey, Copperfield said: "To be falsely accused of something that horrendous is a devastating thing for yourself, your friends, you family, really bad. When the truth comes out - you know she was arrested, not me - finally things you know come to light. Unfortunately, in the press, what happens is..."
Oprah interjected saying: "People remember the charge. They don't remember the exoneration", to which Copperfield replied: "Not only exoneration, but I was the victim. Big difference."
The illusionist - who once dated Claudia Schiffer - had always claimed he was the victim of an extortion plot after Carroll filed a lawsuit against him.
In it, she alleged she was assaulted by him in 2007 after he whisked her to his $50 million private island in the Bahamas when she met him at one of his shows.
The FBI dropped the case in 2010, two weeks after she was arrested for filing a false claim against another man.