Casey Wasserman is putting his agency up for sale, the mogul announced in a memo to staff Friday night, following a week of intense scrutiny and criticism from his roster after suggestive emails he’d sent to Ghislaine Maxwell had surfaced in the Epstein Files.
In the memo, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Wasserman said that he had “become a distraction” from his company’s operations, confirming he’d sell the agency, though he didn’t specify to whom or when. Wasserman said that Wasserman president Mike Watts would oversee day-to-day operations of the business during the sales process “while I devote my full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in 2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city.”
“First and foremost, I want to apologize to you,” Wasserman wrote in the memo. “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.”
The decision follows significant pressure from the music department in particular, with acts including Chappell Roan, Orville Peck, Wednesday, Best Coast and John Summit announcing this past week that that they were leaving or threatening to leave unless Wasserman stepped down and divested. On the sports side, hall of fame soccer player Abby Wambach also said she’d leave the company. It’s unclear at press time whether those clients will return or will still go elsewhere now that Wasserman is leaving the fold.
“No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values,” Roan wrote in a post on February 9. “I refuse to passively stand by.”
In the memo on Friday, Wasserman referenced his “limited” interactions with Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell.
“It was years before their criminal conduct came to light, and, in its entirety, consisted of one humanitarian trip to Africa and a handful of emails that I deeply regret sending,” Wasserman said. “And I’m heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
Wasserman first founded his eponymous agency over 20 years ago, becoming a prominent power player in the sports world. He purchased the music agency Paradigm in 2021 amid the tumult of the global pandemic, quickly turning him into one of the most powerful men in live music as he owned the agency behind booking the likes of Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and Imagine Dragons.
“Other than my children and my fiancée, there are two things that matter most to me in this world: this company that I founded 24 years ago, and the dream I’ve pursued for more than a decade of bringing the Olympic Games back to the city I love,” Wasserman said.
On Wednesday, the LA 28 Olympics Board announced it would continue to back Wasserman, who’s currently the board’s chair.
“LA28 takes allegations of misconduct seriously, and our Board is committed to thoroughly reviewing any concerns related to the organization’s leadership,” the exec committee said. “Mr. Wasserman fully cooperated with the review. We found Mr. Wasserman’s relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented.”
Read Wasserman’s note to staff in full below.
Team:
I wanted to write to you all directly to share a few important updates. Over the past couple of weeks, I have spoken to many of you directly – and I wish I could have spoken with each and every one of you because you all have put your hearts and souls into this incredible organization.
First and foremost, I want to apologize to you. 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.
The pain experienced by the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is unimaginable – and I’m glad, as I’m sure you all are, that those who helped them commit their crimes are rightly being held accountable.
Hopefully by now you know the facts about my limited interactions with those two individuals. It was years before their criminal conduct came to light, and, in its entirety, consisted of one humanitarian trip to Africa and a handful of emails that I deeply regret sending. And I’m heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.
Other than my children and my fiancée, there are two things that matter most to me in this world: this company that I founded 24 years ago, and the dream I’ve pursued for more than a decade of bringing the Olympic Games back to the city I love.
This organization, its leadership and the entire team mean the world to me. Our 4,000 employees are the absolute best in the business. I see you put it all 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 all of you.
At this moment, I believe that I have become a distraction to those efforts. That is why I have begun the process of selling the company, an effort that is already underway. During this time, Mike Watts will assume day-to-day control of the business while I devote my full attention to delivering Los Angeles an Olympic Games in 2028 that is worthy of this outstanding city.
I so appreciate the passion and fight you bring to your jobs. It’s why you succeed.
I’m beyond proud of what this company has accomplished to date and excited to watch its next chapter.
All my best,
Casey
Credit: Source link