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Note: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual misconduct.
Casey Wasserman is selling his eponymous talent agency, per the Wall Street Journal. The move arrives after the Wasserman Group founder and CEO’s name appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files, prompting calls for his resignation and the departure of artists including Chappell Roan, Wednesday, and Weyes Blood from his firm.
Wasserman reportedly announced the sale on Friday (February 13) in a memo to staff, noting that he had “become a distraction” to Wasserman Group’s work. Longtime agency executive Mike Watts will lead day-to-day operations going forward, while Wasserman, who is the chairman of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, focuses on planning the games.
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort,” the memo, reviewed by the New York Times, read. “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.” Pitchfork has reached out to Wasserman and the agency for comment.
The Department of Justice released the files containing Casey Wasserman’s name on January 30, after which he issued an initial apology. The documents revealed flirtatious emails between Wasserman and Ghislaine Maxwell and details of a 2002 flight Wasserman took to Africa on Epstein’s private plane, as part of a humanitarian trip organized by former President Bill Clinton. Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minor girls; Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 after he was convicted of sex trafficking.
The revelation of Wasserman’s association with Epstein and Maxwell has triggered significant fallout at his company, with Wasserman-represented artists Bethany Cosentino, Beach Bunny, Water From Your Eyes, and Salute demanding he step down as CEO. “I did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation,” Cosentino wrote. Since the release of the files, Odesza, Orville Peck, Local Natives, Bully’s Alicia Bognanno, Dropkick Murphys, and Chelsea Cutler have all cut ties with the firm.
Wasserman founded his agency in 2002; the talent management group oversees hundreds of high-profile musicians and sports players, including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay, Skrillex, and Animal Collective. Last weekend, an artist roster was removed from Wasserman’s website.
If you or someone you know has been affected by inappropriate sexual behavior, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN Hotline
http://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
http://www.facebook.com/crisistextline (chat support)
SMS: Text “HERE” to 741-741
