Casey Wasserman, the prominent entertainment executive and founder of the Wasserman Group, is initiating the sale of his talent agency following the surfacing of his past correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, in recently released court documents.
Wasserman informed the agency’s 4,000 employees of his decision in a memo on Friday, stating, “At this moment, I believe that I have become a distraction to those efforts,” referring to the company’s work and his own pursuit of bringing the Olympic Games back to Los Angeles. “That is why I have begun the process of selling the company, an effort that is already underway.”
The decision follows the release of over 3 million pages of documents related to Epstein by the Justice Department in January. These files have implicated numerous high-profile individuals, including Bill Gates and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in associations with Epstein, though appearing in the documents does not indicate involvement in any criminal activity.
In Wasserman’s case, the released documents revealed he traveled on Epstein’s private jet alongside several individuals, including former President Bill Clinton. He also engaged in email exchanges with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in sex trafficking. The emails between Wasserman and Maxwell date back to 2003, predating both the initial police investigations into Epstein and Maxwell’s eventual arrest.
Wasserman issued an apology following the revelations, but faced growing criticism from clients and talent represented by his agency. Singer Chappell Roan and Olympian Abby Wambach were among those who publicly stated their intention to leave the Wasserman Group due to his association with Epstein and Maxwell.
In his memo to staff, Wasserman acknowledged the discomfort caused by his past interactions. “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,” he wrote. “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.”
Wasserman emphasized the importance of the company and its employees, stating, “Our 4,000 employees are the absolute best in the business.” He announced that Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the agency during the sale process, while Wasserman focuses on his efforts to secure the 2028 Olympic Games for Los Angeles.
The full text of Wasserman’s memo to employees was released alongside the announcement of the sale. He reiterated his apology and expressed pride in the company’s accomplishments over the past 24 years.
