02/14/26 11:44:00
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02/14 11:43 CST LA Olympics leader Wasserman will sell talent agency in wake of
Epstein emails discovery
LA Olympics leader Wasserman will sell talent agency in wake of Epstein emails
discovery
By RYAN PEARSON and PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Casey Wasserman, the chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles
Olympics organizing committee, is selling his eponymous talent agency in the
wake of the release of emails between himself and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Wasserman's emails with Maxwell were revealed by his appearance in recently
released government files on Jeffrey Epstein. Wasserman, whose agency
represents some of the top pop music artists in the world, has not been accused
of any wrongdoing.
The recently released documents revealed that in 2003 he swapped flirtatious
emails with Maxwell, who would years later be accused of helping Epstein
recruit and sexually abuse his victims. Wasserman said in a Friday evening memo
to his staff that he has begun the process of selling the company, according to
a company spokesperson who provided the memo to The Associated Press.
Wasserman's memo to staff said that he felt he had become a distraction to the
company's work.
"During this time, Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the business
while I devote my full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in
2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city," the memo stated.
The memo arrived days after the LA28 board's executive committee met to discuss
Wasserman's appearance in the Epstein files. The committee said it and an
outside legal firm conducted a review of Wasserman's interactions with Epstein
and Maxwell with Wasserman's full cooperation.
The committee said in a statement: "We found Mr. Wasserman's relationship with
Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly
documented." The statement also said Wasserman "should continue to lead LA28
and deliver a safe and successful games."
Wasserman has said previously that he flew on a humanitarian mission to Africa
on Epstein's private plane at the invitation of the Clinton Foundation in 2002.
Exchanges between Wasserman and Maxwell in the files include Wasserman telling
Maxwell: "I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a
tight leather outfit?"
His agency, also called Wasserman, has lost clients over the Maxwell emails.
Singer Chappell Roan and retired U.S. women's soccer legend Abby Wambach are
among them.
Wasserman said in his memo to staff that his interactions with Maxwell and
Epstein were limited and he regrets the emails.
"It was years before their criminal conduct came to light, and, in its
entirety, consisted of one humanitarian trip to Africa and a handful of emails
that I deeply regret sending. And I'm heartbroken that my brief contact with
them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much
hardship over the past days and weeks," the memo said.
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