LA28 Stands by Casey Wasserman After Reviewing Epstein Ties

Casey Wasserman will remain in charge of the 2028 Summer Olympics, LA28 said Wednesday.

The agency CEO and LA28 chair has come under fire in recent weeks after his 2003 emails with convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell came to light.

Singer Chappell Roan and soccer legend Abby Wambach left Wasserman’s agency this week over his ties to Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, and LA28 had a meeting Wednesday to discuss Wasserman’s status.

The organizing committee said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that an outside legal firm conducted a review of Wasserman’s past interactions with Epstein and Maxwell, and found that his relationship with them “did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented,” specifically, a ride on Epstein’s plane in 2002 and his emails with Maxwell.

“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 executive committee of the LA28 board said in a statement.

Wasserman chairs the 35-person LA28 board.

Several Los Angeles politicians, from city council members to county supervisors, have called for Wasserman to step down. The Wall Street Journal first reported news of the meeting Wednesday. 

Also on Wednesday, Wambach became the first prominent athlete to leave Wasserman’s talent agency.

“I read Casey Wasserman’s correspondence in the Epstein files. I know what I know, and I am following my gut and my values,” the U.S. women’s national team legend said in a statement. “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.”

Wasserman is one of several sports figures whose name appears in the recent batches of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice on Jan. 30; his exchanges with Maxwell are among the most damning. 

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking and sexual abuse of girls.

In the emails dating back to 2003, Wasserman and Maxwell discuss real estate and massages. Maxwell wrote that there are “a few spots that apparently drive a man wild” and offered to “practice them on” Wasserman. Maxwell said his “desires” include “You, me, and not else much.” He also wrote that he wanted to see her in a “tight leather outfit.”

Following the release of the emails, Wasserman said in a statement: “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell,” that happened “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.”

Wasserman’s agency represents athletes across all major sports leagues as well as prominent broadcasters through the Montag Group, which Wasserman acquired in 2022. The agency represents women’s soccer stars like Alex Morgan and WNBA stars like Paige Bueckers, Breanna Stewart, and Brittney Griner. Other athletes across sports include NBA player Klay Thompson, NFL player Najee Harris, golfer Rickie Fowler, and swimmer Katie Ledecky. 

Wasserman also represents several college athletes through its NIL practice, and some of the biggest talents in sports media like Mike Tirico, Bob Costas, Jim Nantz, and Scott Van Pelt. The agency did not immediately respond to questions.

Several musical artists have left Wasserman following the release of the emails, most prominently Roan. She said Monday that “artists deserve representation that aligns with their values” and the decision “reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”

Singer Billie Eilish left the agency in 2024 amid reporting on Wasserman’s alleged extramarital affairs.

On Tuesday, Wambach’s former USWNT teammate Hope Solo posted on social media in support of Roan, and she criticized Wasserman talent who hadn’t spoken out.

“Wasserman represents many athletes that are ‘known’ for using their strong, outspoken voices,” Solo wrote. “It’s easy to speak out when it’s a popular sentiment or when there is nothing to lose. Their current silence is deafening.”