Casey Wasserman, the embattled mogul who is the face of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, is preparing to sell his talent agency, a stunning fall for a leading figure in the world of sports and music.
In a memo to his staff Friday, Wasserman acknowledged his appearance in a recently released batch of documents related to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his companion, Ghislaine Maxwell, had “become a distraction.”
Wasserman wrote in his memo he was “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.”
Representatives for Wasserman did not immediately return requests for comment.
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort,” Wasserman wrote to his staff. “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 to unload the business he founded more than two decades ago represents a remarkable reversal for the mogul, who built up one of the most successful sports and music agencies in Hollywood.
Following in the footsteps of his legendary grandfather, Lew Wasserman — a Hollywood titan who transformed the studio MCA into a powerhouse that acquired Universal Pictures — Casey expanded his sports and talent agency through a series of savvy acquisitions.
Today, the company has about 4,000 employees and a deep roster of talent. It represents major musical acts including Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, Ed Sheeran and Tyler, the Creator. The agency’s sports division represents women’s soccer star Alex Morgan, WNBA players Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner, NBA player Klay Thompson and swimmer Katie Ledecky.
But Wasserman faced mounting pressure from within his company to step down following disclosure of the sexually charged emails with Maxwell.
Over the last two weeks, artists including Chappell Roan and athletes such as soccer star Abby Wambach announced they would leave Wasserman’s eponymous Los Angeles-based talent agency.
“I know what I know, and I am following my gut and my values,” Wambach wrote on Instagram. “I will not participate in any business arrangement under his leadership…He should leave, so more people like me don’t have to.”
Talent and agents were said to be furious over Wasserman’s past communications with Maxwell, and had planned to quit if he remained, sources told The Times earlier this week.
Wasserman told his staff that Mike Watts, a longtime company executive, would assume day-to-day management of the firm while he begins the process of selling it.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Wasserman’s staff memo.
Wasserman plans to stay in his position leading the LA28 Olympic Committee, which has stood by him.
In a recent statement, LA28 noted that the racy emails with Maxwell were sent following a humanitarian mission to Africa two decades “before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes…This was his single interaction with Epstein.”
“The Executive Committee of the Board has determined that based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” LA28 concluded.
The messages to Maxwell were part of a massive trove of Epstein-related documents made public by the Department of Justice this month.
In them, Wasserman wrote to Maxwell, who is now serving a lengthy prison sentence for sex trafficking of minors, “I thought we would start at that place that you know of, and then continue the massage concept into your bed … and then again in the morning … not sure if or when we would stop.”
She responded: “Umm — all that rubbing — are you sure you can take it? The thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild — I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?”
Wasserman released a statement saying: “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light. I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane. I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
After the disclosure of the latest Epstein documents, lawyers, art museum executives, a former U.K. ambassador and Slovakia’s national security advisor have resigned, apologized or stepped back from high positions. Britain’s King Charles III stripped his brother Andrew of his prince title and position in the royal family after earlier revelations of his involvement.