David Copperfield Reportedly Accused of Sexual Misconduct by Multiple Women

Magician David Copperfield is shooting down the claims of 16 women alleging he engaged in sexual misconduct or inappropriate behavior with them -- and he says law enforcement's already cleared his name.

The U.K. Guardian's U.S. bureau detailed the allegations after an investigation it says found 3 women who've accused Copperfield of drugging them before engaging in non-consensual sexual activity with them.

According to the report, 4 women accused him of groping or coercing them to touch him in a sexual manner during live performances on stage.

Half of the allegations against Copperfield date from the late 1980s to 2014, and are from women claiming they were under 18 at the time, with some insisting they were as young as 15 during their encounters with the illusionist.

A rep for Copperfield has responded to the allegations ... telling TMZ, "Everyone that knows David Copperfield will tell you that these recent allegations from one newspaper are the exact opposite of who David is. In fact, David has a record of risking his career to help protect women from powerful predators."

"Most of these historic accusations have been made before, and all of them are as false now as they were then. David requested the 'evidence' upon which these false allegations claim to rely and this has not been provided. By contrast, whenever U.S. law enforcement has looked into such matters, they have been investigated thoroughly, and it has been found that there is simply no case to answer."

The rep concludes, "The Guardian's characterization is not who David is, and he continues to support anyone who has experienced any form of abuse or discrimination. The movement must succeed, but false accusations must stop for it to flourish. David will be considering the position with his legal team and will take such steps as may be appropriate over these false and scurrilous allegations."