A growing number of celebrities are speaking out against Casey Wasserman, the CEO of the Wasserman talent agency, after his name appeared in a newly released Epstein file.
Newsweek reached out to the Wasserman talent agency for comment via its online press contact form.
Why It Matters
Wasserman is facing scrutiny after emails he sent to Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003 were revealed in the latest release of the Epstein files. His agency represents numerous prominent artists. He’s also serving as the chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics committee.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking, and Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 for aiding Epstein in the trafficking of minors and is serving a 20-year prison sentence. She appeared before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee this week.
Questions about Epstein for years have fueled scrutiny, speculation and conspiracy theories, particularly in relation to his relationships with political leaders, business executives and cultural elites. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released new records from investigations into Epstein in January—the largest release to date.
Appearing in released documents is not an indication of wrongdoing.
Who Is Casey Wasserman?
Wasserman is an American sports and entertainment executive and the founder and CEO of Wasserman, a global sports marketing and talent agency that represents thousands of athletes and artists across sports and music. His role as the chair of the upcoming Olympics put him at the center of one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
He is the grandson of legendary Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman.
Wasserman is also a longtime political donor.
A Newsweek review of his Federal Election Commission (FEC) donations showed that Wasserman has donated to both Democrats and Republicans over the years. For instance, he donated to both former President Barack Obama, then-Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator John McCain ahead of the 2008 presidential election. He donated to Clinton again in 2016.
Some of his most recent donations were for Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Susan Collins. Other donations to Democrats include to the DCCC and Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove, of California.
Which Artists Have Spoken Out About Wasserman Agency?
Chappell Roan announced she left the Wasserman talent agency after it was revealed that he was named in the files.
“I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
Rock band Dropkick Murphys, who have been outspoken about their anti-Trump politics, announced in an Instagram story that they have “parted ways with” the agency, Billboard reported.
“It saddens us to part ways with [our agents], but the namesake of the agency is in the Epstein files so…we GONE,” they wrote.
The band Wednesday also severed ties with the agency.
“Given the circumstances we feel strongly that we need to begin the process of extracting ourselves from Wasserman,” they wrote. “Continuing to be represented by a company led by and named after Casey Wasserman goes against our values and cannot continue.”
They urged Wasserman to step down “for the sake of his staff” and noted that those they worked with at the agency were “decent and trustworthy people.”
The band Beach Bunny wrote on Instagram that they are “hugely disappointed and disgusted” to learn about Wasserman’s connection to Maxwell. His actions were “abhorrent and disturbing on every level,” the band wrote.
“We are demanding for [Wasserman] to remove himself and his name from the agency, ‘deep regrets’ are not enough. As a woman in music I unfortunately am not surprised when rich men in power do horrible things,” the statement reads.
Best Coast frontwoman Bethany Cosentino wrote on Instagram that she “did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation.”
“Staying quiet isn’t something I can do in good conscience – especially in a moment when men in power are so often protected, excused or allowed to move on without consequence,” she wrote.
Musician Chelsea Cutler wrote on Instagram that she will no longer be represented by the agency.
“We are living through a pivotal moment in history where we are repeatedly expected to desensitize ourselves and to normalize things that are unequivocally wrong. I am deeply troubled by the idea of perpetuating this normalization and tolerance,” she wrote.
Casey Wasserman Responds to Ghislaine Maxwell Texts
According to The New York Times, Maxwell offered to give Wasserman a massage that would “drive a man wild.” In another exchange, he told her, “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
Wasserman addressed the files in a statement reported by The New York Times.
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light,” he said.
He also said he “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,” he said.
Who Does the Wasserman Agency Represent?
Wasserman’s artist roster was not public as of publication.
However, Variety reported that several prominent musicians are represented by the agency, including Childish Gambino, Coldplay, Geese, Lorde, Janelle Monae, Phish, Raye, Ed Sheeran, SZA and Tyler, the Creator.
What People Are Saying
Bethany Cosentino wrote on Instagram: “We are tired of watching harm minimized or brushed off as ‘a long time ago,’ while the impact of that harm is still very real, especially for women and survivors of sexual assault.”
Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has pushed for the release of the Epstein files, has raised concerns about redactions, writing on X: “Trump’s FBI scrubbed these files in March. The documents Justice got had the redactions that the FBI made back then. This is a violation of @RepThomasMassie and my Epstein Files Transparency Act. They need to unscrub the FBI files so we know who the rich and powerful men are who raped underage girls.”
The DOJ wrote in a statement in January: “Through the process, the Department provided clear instructions to reviewers that the redactions were to be limited to the protection of victims and their families. Some pornographic images, whether commercial or not, were redacted, given the Department treated all women in those images as victims. Notable individuals and politicians were not redacted in the release of any files.”
What Happens Next
Calls are circulating on social media for Wasserman to step down as chairman of the 2028 Olympics.
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