Copper Apologizes for Serving Sushi From Semi-Naked Models at 5-Star Hotel Private Party

In a true Wolf of Wall Street moment, crypto custody firm Copper has apologized for hosting an event at which guests were served sushi from the bodies of semi-naked models.

Copper held the private party at London's five-star Mandrake Hotel. A photo obtained FT shows a man and woman wearing very little clothing lying on a long dining table with food on their bodies. Men in blazers are seen standing around the table, with one eating food from it. They are believed to be current and former Copper employees.

“Transcend the ordinary at the Copper experience,” read an invitation for the after-party. “Attendees will be able to entertain and explore all five senses.”

A person close to Copper defended the incident to FT, stating the models on the table we wearing "swimming costumes" and it was “a lot of razzle-dazzle . . . more performative art rather than anything seedy." The person claimed that former UK chancellor Lord Philip Hammond, who chairs Copper, did not attend.

In a statement, Copper said it will be launching an internal review of the event. "We did not get this right," the firm said.

"We recognize that certain aspects of the event have caused offense and do not reflect Copper's corporate values. We will be conducting an internal review of the existing process for approving events and sponsorship arrangements and the value of such events to the company going forward."

“As part of our sponsorship of the Digital Assets Summit 2024, we jointly hosted an after-party held at the Mandrake Hotel,” Copper said.

The group did not state who attended the event but described it as being "organized by a third-party event planner and open to all delegates as part of the conference”.

A senior Copper employee said the event was "not the typical party set-up" and that "crypto is getting a lot more civilized, so that’s not really the style.”