The Los Angeles City Council has taken a definitive stance regarding LA 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman, unanimously passing a resolution that urges the Olympics committee to conduct a formal investigation into his past associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his jailed accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The 12-0 vote reflects growing unease within the host city about Wasserman’s suitability for his leadership role, despite the measure being largely symbolic and unenforceable.
This political move follows revelations that Wasserman utilized Epstein’s private jet and engaged in flirtatious email correspondence with Maxwell back in 2003. While Wasserman has not been accused of any criminal misconduct related to the Epstein case, these disclosures have triggered widespread calls for his resignation from various quarters, including celebrities, politicians, and athletes represented by his talent agency.
In response to mounting pressure, Wasserman announced his decision to initiate the sale of his prominent LA-based talent firm, acknowledging that he had ‘become a distraction.’ In an internal email obtained by the BBC, he expressed deep regret to his 4,000 employees: ‘I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort.’
The LA28 executive committee had previously concluded its review last month, retaining Wasserman after external counsel found no evidence of misconduct beyond what was publicly documented. Following the city council’s vote, the committee reaffirmed its commitment to ‘delivering a fiscally responsible, privately funded Games that protects taxpayers and benefits Los Angeles.’
Wasserman has consistently maintained that his interactions with Maxwell occurred over two decades before her criminal activities were exposed, and he has stated he never conducted business with Epstein. His name appears among numerous prominent figures in the Epstein documents without implication of criminal activity, and no victims have accused him of wrongdoing.