Magician David Blaine has been accused of rape by Natasha Prince, a former model, according to a report from The Daily Beast.
The outlet says Prince told them Blaine raped her at a private London home in 2004.
Prince told the outlet she met Blaine at a nightclub in June or July of 2004. The next day, she said she got a text from Blaine inviting her to his friends' place for drinks. She said Blaine went into the kitchen and came back with a tall glass of vodka and soda.
“I had a high tolerance, but that week I was working and had decided not to drink,” Prince said. “But I decided to have that one drink that night. It wasn’t strong; it tasted mostly like soda.”
Prince said Blaine invited her to a near by bedroom for what she thought was a private conversation. She said Blaine claimed to want to show her something in the room.
She goes on to say she was raped and woke up with no clothes on. That morning, she left to do a photo shoot.
“The next thing I remember, I was sitting in the makeup chair getting my makeup done, and thinking, ‘What did I do last night? Did I have sex with David Blaine? But I didn’t want to,” she said. “I felt hazy, completely out of it. I don’t remember taking a shower, where I changed, leaving his house or anything.”
Prince told The Daily Beast she blamed herself, which is partially why she didn’t consider going to the police.
“You have to understand, my interpretation was that it was my fault,” she said. “I didn’t think of it as rape. In my head, rape was being sober -- pull her in a bush, pull down her pants and just ditch her. So I blamed myself. I did like him. I was interested in him. So I didn’t think about going to the police.”
By 2016, Prince decided to go to the police. She filed a report after meeting with investigators at Kensington Police Station Dec. 16.
Scotland Yard, the headquarters of police in London, has reportedly contacted Blaine to come in for questioning.
"Officers from the Met's Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command are investigating an allegation of rape," Scotland Yard said in a statement to The Daily Beast. "The allegation was reported to police on 17 November 2016 by a woman who alleged she was raped at an address in Chelsea in June or July 2004 when she was aged 21. There have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries continue."
The Daily Beast reported that when it reached Blaine by phone for a response to the Scotland Yard investigation, he said, “Wow … there’s absolutely nothing … that’s crazy.”
Blaine, in a statement through his attorney, Marty Singer, denies the allegations.
“My client vehemently denies that he raped or sexually assaulted any woman, ever, and he specifically denies raping a woman in 2004,” the statement said. “If, in fact, there is any police investigation, my client will fully cooperate because he has nothing to hide.”
The Daily Beast reported that an additional statement from Singer said, “This would include Natasha Prince.”
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