Despite the backlash that Casey Wasserman has faced following his appearance in the Epstein files, the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Summer Olympics is standing by its chairman.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the LA28 committee said that an outside legal firm investigated Wasserman’s past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which came to light following a recent release of documents. Specifically, the files indicated that the entertainment executive and sports agent flew on Epstein’s private plane to Africa in 2002 and exchanged flirtatious emails with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the deceased Epstein’s sex trafficking and abuse.
Multiple clients, including singer Chappell Roan and women’s soccer legend Abby Wambach, have left the Wasserman agency in the wake of the files being released. Meanwhile, some Los Angeles politicians have called for the 51-year-old to step down from his role as the LA28 chair, which it doesn’t appear he’ll be doing.
“We found Mr. Wasserman’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented,” the LA28 Executive Committee of the Board said in as statement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“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. This was his single interaction with Epstein. Shortly after, he traded the publicly-known 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.”
In his own statement following the release of the files, Wasserman said that he “deeply” regretted his interactions with Maxwell. He also insisted that he “never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” while emphasizing that his trip to Africa was a humanitarian mission with the Clinton Foundation.
“I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them,” Wasserman said of Epstein and Maxwell in the statement.
While it’s not necessarily surprising that the 35-person LA28 board opted to stand by its chair, public pressure could still mount, especially if clients continue to defect from Wasserman as a result of the files. Per its website, the agency represents several prominent female athletes, including Diana Taurasi, Livvy Dunne, Paige Bueckers and Breanna Stewart, as well as high profile sports media figures such as Mike Tirico, Scott Van Pelt, Bob Costas, Tracy Wolfson, Mike Breen and Shams Charania.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.