Casey Wasserman To Sell Talent Agency After Epstein Files
Casey Wasserman said he began selling his talent agency after 2003 emails with Ghislaine Maxwell surfaced in DOJ files; Mike Watts will run day-to-day operations.
Overview
On Friday Casey Wasserman told staff in a memo that he has begun the process of selling his eponymous talent agency because he had "become a distraction," a company spokesperson said.
The announcement followed the Justice Department's release of documents showing flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell dated 2003 and a 2002 humanitarian trip on Jeffrey Epstein's private plane, according to the reports.
The LA28 executive committee said after a review with an outside legal firm that Wasserman's interactions "did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented" and he should continue to lead LA28.
Top clients including singer Chappell Roan and former U.S. women's soccer star Abby Wambach announced they left the agency, which employs about 4,000 people, according to the reports.
Wasserman said Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control while he focuses on delivering the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games and that the sale effort is already underway, according to his memo.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a reputational crisis: editorial choices emphasize fallout—headlines lead with the sale, selection of condemnatory artist statements, and highlighting the sensational email line about Maxwell. They also note balancing facts (no charges, LA28 board support). Direct quotes (artists, emails) are source content, not editorial voice.
Sources (13)
FAQ
Documents revealed flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003, and he took a humanitarian trip on Epstein's private plane in 2002.
Wasserman stated he has become a distraction due to the surfacing of his past emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, leading to client departures and internal turmoil.
Clients including singer Chappell Roan and former U.S. women's soccer star Abby Wambach announced they left the agency.
Casey Wasserman is the chairman of the LA28 executive committee and will continue leading it despite the controversy, as confirmed after a legal review.
Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the agency while Wasserman focuses on the 2028 Olympics.
History
4 sources
4 sources