Board members of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee have put their support behind chairman Casey Wasserman on Wednesday as he faces numerous calls to step down from the position — and his talent agency — following his appearance in recently released government files on Jeffrey Epstein.
“We found Mr. Wasserman’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented,” the executive committee said in a statement. “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.”
The organizing committee said it worked with an outside law firm to conduct an inquiry of Wasserman, who consented to the review, to fully examine his prior interactions with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Wasserman, 51, had numerous past contact with Epstein and Maxwell, who were both indicted on sex-trafficking crimes. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail in 2019, while Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
On January 31, Wasserman apologized in a statement for his past dealings with Epstein and Maxwell.
“I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell which took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light,” the statement said. “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.”
While Wasserman has not been accused of any crime, the file released by the Justice Department as part of an ongoing reveal of information tied to Epstein show that he exchanged flirtatious emails with Maxwell in 2003. Maxwell was charged and convicted in connection with helping Epstein recruit his victims.
“Twenty-three years ago, before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes, Mr. Wasserman and his then-wife flew on a humanitarian mission to Africa on Epstein’s plane at the invitation of the Clinton Foundation,” the committee continued in its statement. “This was his single interaction with Epstein. Shortly after, he traded the publicly-known emails with Maxwell.”
Wasserman was part of a group of entertainment industry notables like Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey who joined former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Epstein’s jet for the philanthropy-related trip in 2002.
Wasserman has also been asked to leave his position as CEO of Wasserman Agency, a talent firm he founded in 2002.
Several of the agency’s clients have been vocal about refusing to stay with the firm as long as Wasserman is still at the company.
On Wednesday, retired U.S. women’s soccer star Abby Wambach said she has left the agency, along with singer Chappell Roan and indie rock band Beach Bunny.
In a post on social media, Wambach confirmed that she had distanced herself from the firm.
“I have left the Wasserman Agency. I read Casey Wasserman’s correspondences in the Epstein files,” the post read. “I know what I know, and I am following my gut and my values.I will not participate in any business arrangement under his leadership. I also need to say this: I’m grateful to my agent, who l’ve known for almost 20 years and trust. Casey should resign. He should leave, so more people like me don’t have to. I am unclear of my next steps. That’s OK with me, I just know where I can’t be.
Abby.”
