Clients started walking. Now, Casey Wasserman is trying to sell the whole thing.
Reuters reported that Wasserman told staff in an internal memo he has “become a distraction,” and that the process of selling his talent and marketing company has begun.
What began as a reputational problem quickly became a business problem.
What Resurfaced
The language in the newly released Justice Department files is explicit.
In 2003, Wasserman exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence after a 2021 conviction that included sex trafficking of a minor.
One message from Wasserman to Maxwell reads: “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”
In another exchange, after Wasserman referenced coastal fog, Maxwell responded by asking whether it would be foggy enough “so that you can float naked down the beach and no one can see you unless they are close up?”
Wasserman has apologized for the emails and has said he never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. He has described a 2002 flight on Epstein’s plane as part of a Clinton Foundation humanitarian delegation.
The Departures That Made It a Sale
By the time the sale report hit, the first high-profile exits were already public.
Chappell Roan said she was no longer represented by Wasserman’s company.
Abby Wambach also announced she was cutting ties and called on Wasserman to resign.
From there, more artists either announced they were leaving or demanded leadership change, including Orville Peck.
Roan’s statement framed it as a line she would not cross, including: “Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values.”
This is the key point. The emails are old. The reputational cost is current, and the client reaction is what turns “bad optics” into “sell the company.”
The Big Names Who Haven’t Moved Publicly
The pressure does not come solely from mid-tier departures. It comes from whether the agency can keep its biggest touring and brand clients steady while the founder’s name is the headline.
Pollstar reported the agency still lists major names on its roster, including Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar, and Ed Sheeran.
Credit: Ritapepaj via Wikimedia Commons.
If more top-tier clients follow Roan and Wambach out the door, the sale will no longer look like an orderly process but rather a race to preserve value.
The Olympics Role That Won’t Go Away
Wasserman is also the chair of LA28, the organizing committee for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Local officials have publicly urged him to step down, arguing the controversy distracts from preparing for the Games.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia echoed that criticism in a public post, saying Los Angeles “cannot trust our financial future” to someone connected to Epstein and Maxwell.
LA28 has not removed him. Reuters reported that LA28 conducted a review with outside counsel and concluded that Wasserman’s interactions with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what had already been publicly documented.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry did not wave it away as “no big deal.” She said distractions are “sad,” and declined further comment beyond noting Wasserman had issued a statement.
That might work for the Olympics. It’s not working for his agency.
Why This Reads Like Damage Control
Wasserman’s memo frames the sale as a leadership decision. He told staff he had “become a distraction,” and apologized for “past personal mistakes.”
But the timing tells the story. The controversy escalated into public client exits. Then came the sale process.
You can call it selfless if you want. The market will call it risk management.
What Happens Next
Two tracks matter now.
First, the business track. Does the agency stabilize client confidence during a sale, or do more public exits keep coming?
Second, the civic track. Can LA28 keep Wasserman as chair while the agency sale plays out under national scrutiny, or do sponsors and city leaders intensify pressure?
What This Adds Up To
The emails are from 2003. The consequences are happening in 2026.
Wasserman is trying to sell the company because, in his own words, he has become a distraction.
And in entertainment, “distraction” is another way of saying “liability.”
Should Wasserman step aside from LA28 while his company is being sold? Or is selling the agency enough?
