Casey Wasserman, the prominent Hollywood talent agent and chairman of the LA28 Olympic committee, is selling his agency, Wasserman, following a growing scandal stemming from newly revealed emails exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision, announced Friday, comes after a wave of talent departures and mounting pressure for Wasserman to step down.
In a memo to employees obtained by Rolling Stone, Wasserman apologized for “past personal mistakes” that have caused “so much discomfort” to those associated with the agency. He acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” experienced by the victims of Epstein and Maxwell, reiterating his previous statements that his interactions with Epstein were limited to a humanitarian trip with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 and “a handful of emails that I deeply regret sending.”
However, the recent release of documents from the Epstein files painted a more troubling picture. Emails dating back to 2003 revealed suggestive messages between Wasserman, and Maxwell. In one instance, Wasserman asked Maxwell, “What do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?” Another message inquired about arranging a massage, to which Maxwell responded with a provocative reply, asking if he could “take it” and offering to “practise” techniques that “drive a man wild.” Maxwell was later convicted of conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors between 1994 and 2004.
The fallout from the released emails was swift. Over the past week, a number of artists, including Chappell Roan, Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, Weyes Blood, Chelsea Cutler, Wednesday, Water From Your Eyes, Orville Peck, and Beach Bunny, severed ties with the Wasserman Group. Roan, in a statement, emphasized her duty to protect her team and stated that no artist should be expected to overlook actions that conflict with their moral values.
Wasserman’s decision to sell the agency is framed as a move to remove a “distraction” from the business he founded 24 years ago. In his memo, he praised his 4,000 employees as “the absolute best in the business” and expressed confidence in their ability to continue delivering “world-class representation” to their clients. Mike Watts, the company’s chief operating officer, will assume day-to-day control during the sales process.
Despite the controversy, Wasserman will remain in his role as chairman and president of the LA28 Olympic committee, overseeing preparations for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The LA28 executive committee confirmed on Wednesday that he would continue in this capacity, despite calls for his resignation. Wasserman stated he will devote his “full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in 2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city.”
The situation reportedly reached a boiling point internally after Wasserman allegedly assured senior staff in 2024 that there would be no further revelations regarding his relationship with Epstein. This assurance, according to a source privy to the meeting, was made after initial reports of his association with Maxwell surfaced. The subsequent release of the explicit emails left his closest associates feeling betrayed.
The agency’s sale marks a significant turning point for Wasserman, a powerful figure in both the music and sports industries. While he maintains he has not been accused of any criminal activity, the scandal has undeniably damaged his reputation and led to a crisis of confidence within his own company. The future of the Wasserman Group, and the fate of its roster of high-profile clients, now hangs in the balance as the sale process unfolds.
