Casey Wasserman, chairman of the organising committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28), has announced he will sell his talent and sports marketing agency following renewed criticism linked to past email exchanges involving Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The decision comes as calls for his resignation intensify amid public scrutiny of his involvement in the controversy.
In a memo to staff of Wasserman Group, the agency he founded and which carries his surname, Wasserman expressed regret over the discomfort his past actions have caused colleagues, clients and partners. He wrote that his connection to the matter had “become a distraction” that could impact the agency’s operations and reputation. Wasserman, 51, said he intends to remain as head of LA28 while the sale process proceeds.
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort,” he said in the memo, according to multiple U.S. media reports. “It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about.”
Wasserman’s decision follows the release of decades-old emails from April 2003 that appeared in newly unsealed U.S. Justice Department documents. In one exchange with Maxwell—who is serving a 20-year sentence for trafficking underage girls on behalf of Epstein—Wasserman told her “I miss you” and later referenced a massage. He has denied any personal or business relationship with Epstein and stated that his interaction with Maxwell occurred before her criminal conduct was known publicly.
Wasserman will face criticism in both the entertainment industry and Olympic circles. At least one high-profile client, Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan, has left Wasserman Group in protest, saying no artist should overlook behaviour that “conflicts so deeply with our own moral values.” Other celebrities and sports figures represented by the agency have also distanced themselves amid the controversy.
Despite mounting pressure, the LA28 Organizing Committee’s executive board has publicly backed Wasserman’s leadership for the 2028 Games. An internal review found no evidence suggesting legal wrongdoing beyond what is publicly documented. The committee emphasised that the Olympic preparations are on track and that the Games remain a priority.
Wasserman is a well-known American entertainment executive and sports agent who has chaired the LA28 Organizing Committee since July 2017, following the city’s successful bid for the 2028 Summer Games. The Olympics are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles from July 14 to July 30, 2028.
His talent agency, which includes thousands of employees and represents artists, athletes and entertainers, will be placed on the market as part of an effort to reduce distractions and protect its workforce and clients.
