Lead: Casey Wasserman, the 51-year-old chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic organizing committee and founder of the Wasserman talent and sports agency, said on Feb. 13–14, 2026 that he has begun steps to sell the agency after private emails with Ghislaine Maxwell became public. The disclosures — part of newly released Epstein-related documents — prompted a wave of client defections and prompted Wasserman to apologize to the firm’s roughly 4,000 employees. He also said he will step back from business affairs to concentrate on preparing the 2028 Games.
Key Takeaways
- Casey Wasserman announced on Feb. 13–14, 2026 that he has initiated a process to sell the Wasserman agency, which he founded more than two decades ago.
- The agency employs about 4,000 people and represents thousands of performers and athletes, including Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar, Paige Bueckers, Brittney Griner and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
- The disclosure followed publication of flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell from when Wasserman was 29 and married; officials say the records show no allegation of criminal conduct by Wasserman.
- Dozens of musicians and performers reportedly left the agency after the emails became public, creating immediate reputational and commercial pressure.
- Wasserman issued an apology to staff and clients and said he will reduce his commercial involvement to focus on the 2028 Olympics.
- Wasserman is a prominent Democratic donor and the agency bears the family name of his grandfather, studio executive Lew Wasserman.
Background
The recent revelations come from a new tranche of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s long-running network; among those records were exchanges involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate. Maxwell’s correspondence has periodically produced names of public figures; this most recent release contained messages described by news outlets as flirtatious between Maxwell and Wasserman from decades earlier. At the time of those exchanges, Wasserman was in his late 20s and married with a young family.
Wasserman founded the agency more than 20 years ago and built it into a global sports-marketing and talent business. The firm’s roster spans major musicians, athletes and entertainers, and the Wasserman name also evokes Hollywood legacy through Lew Wasserman, Casey’s grandfather. Because the agency sits at the intersection of entertainment, sports and corporate sponsorship, reputational shocks can quickly translate into client departures and lost business relationships.
Main Event
On Feb. 13–14, 2026, after media reports published excerpts of the Maxwell-related records, Wasserman sent a message to his employees expressing regret and announcing that he had begun a process to sell the agency he founded. His note apologized for “past personal mistakes” and acknowledged the discomfort the disclosures caused staff and clients. He said he would step back from day-to-day commercial roles to focus on the 2028 Olympic preparations.
Following the disclosure, multiple clients and talent reportedly ended relationships with the agency; media coverage described the departures as numbering in the dozens. Those defections triggered immediate questions among advertisers, corporate partners and internal teams about the company’s near-term revenue and client-service continuity. The agency began outreach to reassure remaining clients and to manage active deals and events.
Wasserman and his representatives emphasized that the published exchanges do not allege criminal wrongdoing by him. The agency’s leadership said it will cooperate with inquiries and that any sale process will seek a buyer able to preserve client relationships and staff employment. The announcement underscored the practical challenge of separating an individual principal’s reputational damage from a firm that supports thousands of contracts and employees.
Analysis & Implications
The decision to put Wasserman up for sale is both reputational damage control and a strategic attempt to stabilize business operations. In talent and sports representation, personal trust between agent and client is central; when a founder’s credibility is damaged, firms can see rapid attrition of marquee clients. That loss reduces fee income, weakens negotiating leverage with sponsors and can cascade into staffing churn as teams scramble to retain revenue streams.
For the 2028 Olympics, the move poses political and organizational risks. Wasserman is the public face and a major fundraiser for the Los Angeles Games; stepping back from private business management aims to limit distractions for organizers and partners. Still, sponsors and civic stakeholders will watch closely for any operational fallout that could complicate sponsorship deals or community relations ahead of the Games.
Financially, the likely sale process could mean a change in ownership structure for a firm that manages long-term contracts, equity stakes in athlete income streams and agency partnerships. Potential buyers will assess client retention risk, contingent liabilities, and the costs of rebuilding reputation. Buyers with deep industry ties or private-equity firms that specialize in turnarounds may surface if the board seeks a quick infusion of stability and capital.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Reported Value |
|---|---|
| Approx. employees | 4,000 |
| Notable roster examples | Coldplay; Ed Sheeran; Kendrick Lamar; Paige Bueckers; Brittney Griner; Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
| Founding | More than 20 years ago |
The table summarizes agency scale and headline roster items cited in reporting. While head-count and marquee names indicate the firm’s market footprint, revenue and contract duration data—key valuation inputs in a sale—have not been disclosed publicly. Any buyer will need access to confidential financials and client contract terms to assess price and integration risk.
Reactions & Quotes
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort. It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about.”
Casey Wasserman, message to Wasserman Group employees
“I have started the process of selling the talent agency I founded more than two decades ago and will step back from my business interests to focus on preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games.”
Casey Wasserman, employee announcement
Industry observers and some clients have framed the episode as a test case for how firms weather founder-driven reputational crises. Analysts note that while the emails span many years, the commercial consequences are immediate because of the public nature of the disclosure and the speed of talent mobility in music and sports.
Unconfirmed
- The exact number and identities of clients who have left the Wasserman agency since the disclosures remain unclear and variably reported.
- Any financial terms or bids in a potential sale have not been made public; valuation and buyer interest are therefore speculative at this stage.
- No public allegation of criminal conduct by Wasserman has been substantiated in these disclosures; further investigative details, if any, have not been released.
Bottom Line
The announcement that Wasserman will seek to sell his eponymous agency represents a major moment for a firm that combines entertainment, sports and marketing under a single roof. The immediate costs—client departures, shaken sponsor confidence and internal disruption—will determine whether the company can be stabilized under new ownership or must be restructured.
For the 2028 Olympics, the key question is whether stepping back from commercial duties will insulate the Games’ planning from reputational spillover. Observers should watch for buyer disclosures, client retention rates, and any official statements from sponsors or Olympic partners to judge how deep the commercial impact will be.