Casey Wasserman has decided to put his namesake talent agency and marketing company up for sale while dealing with the severe fallout from the revelation of his past relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, as detailed in the Epstein Files disclosure.
Wasserman confirmed his plans in a memo to Wasserman staff first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The sale also includes the talent division of Brillstein Entertainment Partners, which has long worked with A-list stars such as Brad Pitt.
“I deeply apologize for any discomfort I may have caused you due to my past personal mistakes,” Wasserman wrote in a memo sent Friday night.
“At this time, I believe I am standing in the way of these efforts. Therefore, I have begun the process of selling the company, which is already underway. During this time, Mike Watts will take over the day-to-day management of the business and I will focus my full attention on delivering the 2028 Olympics to Los Angeles that this great city deserves,” Wasserman wrote.
The embattled entrepreneur admitted it was difficult to cope with the pressure to sell his company quickly.
“Besides my children and my fiance, there are two things that are most important to me in this world: this company I founded 24 years ago, and the dream I have pursued for over a decade to bring the Olympics back to the city I love,” Wasserman wrote.
Details of Mr. Wasserman’s plans to sell his agency were not immediately disclosed. Wasserman, a longtime sports and media investor, is also chairman of LA28, the committee organizing the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Wasserman was reappointed to the post by a vote of the LA28 Board of Directors earlier this week amid growing public calls for local officials to resign from their high-level positions.
Wasserman, the grandson of legendary Hollywood agent Lou Wasserman, has seen his fortunes skyrocket since the extent of his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was revealed in the latest batch of Epstein files. The files revealed flirtatious and racy email exchanges between Maxwell and Wasserman during their marriage in 2003. Wasserman expressed regret about the relationship, stressing that he had no connection to Epstein or to the millions of files released by the Justice Department. However, the damage was done.
Artists who have left the agency in recent days include Chapel Lawn, Gigi Perez, Orville Peck, Wednesday, Way’s Blood, Water From Your Eyes, Beach Bunny, Local Natives, Chelsea Cutler, Dropkick Murphys, and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino (whose social media posts last week essentially sparked her departure).
The agency is one of the biggest in the music industry, with hundreds of others on its roster including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, Phish, Ray, SZA, Joni Mitchell, Janelle Monáe, Geese, and frontman Cameron Winter, Tyler, the Creator, Wednesday, and more. Wasserman’s artist directory was removed from the website at some point in the past few days, presumably in response to an artist’s request to have his name removed.
Wasserman acquired the music business in 2021 after talent agency Paradigm went through a fire sale process. In 2023, he acquired Brillstein Entertainment Partners, a well-respected entertainment management company.
Wasserman’s original business was sports, but its acquisition of many of Paradigm’s music assets in 2021 made it one of the largest music agencies. There is also a small but important film/television agency.
After all, Wasserman is not currently implicated in any of Epstein’s crimes or illegal activities, and is recorded as having traveled on Epstein’s private jet once (on a 2002 humanitarian trip with a Clinton Foundation delegation) and exchanging vulgar emails with Maxwell during their marriage, years before Epstein’s disturbing crimes became public. He apologized for the relationship, saying he “deeply regrets having been associated with either of them.” He is also the president of several charities.
But this is Wasserman’s second such scandal in 18 months. In July 2024, ironically during the Paris Olympics, damning reports surfaced that Wasserman, the grandson of famed Hollywood dealmaker Lew Wasserman, was accused of having had a “serial” affair with a junior employee over many years. These reported indiscretions (Mr. Wasserman did not comment) were controversial at the time, but seemed to dissipate as the weeks went by. Billie Eilish’s departure from the agency was thought to be related to this report, but sources claim that she had already left the agency by the time the report surfaced.
Not long after the previous allegations, optics may be more important than facts, especially for a company that bears the founder’s name.
Mr. Wasserman’s full memo follows:
team:
I wanted to write to you directly to share some important updates. Over the past few weeks, I have spoken directly to many of you. I wish I could have spoken to each and every one of you as you all have poured your heart and soul into this wonderful organization.
First of all, I would like to apologize. I sincerely apologize for causing you so much discomfort due to my past personal mistakes. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to the clients and partners we tirelessly represent and care about deeply.
The pain that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s victims have experienced is unimaginable, and I’m glad, as I am sure you are, that those who aided their crimes are being held to account.
I hope you now know the facts about my limited interaction with these two people. Their criminal activity came to light many years ago, and its entirety consisted of a humanitarian trip to Africa and several emails that they deeply regret sending. And I am heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused so much hardship for you, this company, and its customers over the past few days and weeks.
Besides my children and my fiancé, there are two things that are most important to me in this world. It’s a dream I’ve pursued for more than a decade, to bring the Olympics back to the city I love and the company I founded 24 years ago.
This organization, its leadership and the entire team means the world to me. Our 4,000 employees are some of the best in the industry. I see you putting everything on the line for your clients every day. Our clients expect and deserve world-class representation. And that’s exactly what they get because of you.
At the moment, I think I’m standing in the way of those efforts. Therefore, I have begun the process of selling the company, and that effort is already underway. During this time, Mike Watts will take over day-to-day operational management and I will focus my efforts on bringing Los Angeles the 2028 Olympics that our great city deserves.
I am very grateful for your passion and struggle for your work. That’s why we’re successful.
I’m extremely proud of what this company has accomplished so far, and I’m excited to see its next chapter.
Do your best,
casey
