Casey Wasserman faces mounting pressure as Wasserman agency loses music clients

A growing backlash is building around Casey Wasserman after newly surfaced 2003 email exchanges with Ghislaine Maxwell triggered fresh scrutiny of his leadership across both his talent business and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic organizing effort. The latest flashpoint arrived late Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 (ET), when pop star Chappell Roan said she is no longer represented by Wasserman’s music division, citing concerns about values, safety, and accountability.

The departure is the highest-profile artist move so far in a widening wave that now includes other musicians and agents publicly distancing themselves from the company, while elected officials in Los Angeles escalate calls for Wasserman to step aside from his Olympic role.

What sparked the latest backlash

The current controversy centers on a set of emails from 2003 that became public in a new release of Epstein-related documents by federal authorities. The messages show flirtatious communication between Wasserman and Maxwell years before Maxwell’s later conviction tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation.

Wasserman has said the emails were from a time when Maxwell’s criminal conduct was not publicly known. He has also denied having a personal or business relationship with Epstein. Still, the release has reframed his long-standing public profile, creating a reputational crisis that has quickly spread across entertainment, sports, and Olympic governance.

Artist exits put pressure on Wasserman Music

Chappell Roan’s exit has become a focal point because it was framed as a values-based decision and came with a clear statement that representation should align with artists’ safety and dignity. It also landed amid visible signs of internal turbulence: multiple artists and industry figures have publicly called for leadership changes, and some have described the moment as a test of whether the agency can retain talent while controversy grows.

The business risk is straightforward. Talent agencies run on relationships and trust—between artists and agents, between clients and brand partners, and between teams and the broader industry. When high-profile clients leave publicly, it can invite follow-on moves from other clients who might otherwise have stayed quiet.

LA28 leadership adds a second front

The controversy is not confined to entertainment. Wasserman is also the chair of the organizing committee for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games, a role that carries civic visibility and political sensitivity. In recent days, some Los Angeles-area elected officials have argued that the matter is becoming a distraction from preparations and from the values the Games seek to project, particularly around inclusion and safeguarding.

At the same time, Olympic leadership has signaled reluctance to insert itself into the question of whether Wasserman should remain in place, leaving the issue largely to local stakeholders and the organizing committee’s governance structure.

The result is an unusual dual-track crisis: even if the agency side stabilizes, the Olympic side still faces political and public-pressure dynamics that follow a different logic than client services and dealmaking.

What Wasserman is, and why it matters

Wasserman is one of the largest sports, music, and entertainment representation firms, with a global footprint and major client rosters across leagues, broadcasters, and touring artists. Its reach extends beyond contract negotiation into brand partnerships, marketing, and commercial strategy—work that depends heavily on reputation and access.

That scale is a strength in normal times. In a controversy, it can become a liability, because problems in one division can spill into others—especially when the CEO’s name is the headline. For clients who are risk-sensitive, the calculation often becomes: “Is staying worth explaining?”

Separately from the current controversy, the company has continued expanding in recent months through acquisitions and international growth initiatives—moves that can be harder to execute when leadership is consumed by crisis management and client retention.

What to watch next

The next few days are likely to determine whether this remains a contained episode or becomes a broader reshaping moment for the company and for LA28.

Key developments to monitor:

• Whether additional high-profile artists, agents, or sports clients publicly exit or shift representation

• Any formal action by LA28’s board or city and county stakeholders regarding leadership

• Whether the company announces internal governance changes, leadership adjustments, or an independent review

• How sponsors and commercial partners react, particularly those aligned with Olympic programming

For now, the story is less about a single email release and more about the compounding effect: each new departure raises the stakes for both the agency’s client confidence and the Olympic organizing effort’s credibility as preparations accelerate.

Sources consulted: Reuters; The Wall Street Journal; Los Angeles Times; Associated Press