Talent Agent Casey Wasserman Selling Company After Epstein Files Fallout

Wasserman cites becoming a "distraction" as reason for selling Wasserman Group

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Casey Wasserman, a high-profile entertainment executive, has informed his staff of over 4,000 employees that he is selling his sports marketing and talent agency, the Wasserman Group, after his name appeared in the Epstein files. Wasserman said his brief contact with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell over 20 years ago has caused "hardship" for the company and its clients in recent weeks.

Why it matters

The release of the Epstein files has led to a public fallout for numerous prominent individuals whose names appeared in the documents, even if their associations with Epstein were limited. Wasserman's decision to sell his company highlights the reputational damage that can occur from such associations, even long after the fact.

The details

In January, the Justice Department began releasing over 3 million pages of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The documents revealed that Wasserman had flown on Epstein's private jet and exchanged emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. Wasserman said his interactions with Epstein and Maxwell were limited to a single humanitarian trip to Africa and a few emails, but a backlash from some of his top talent clients had already begun, with several indicating they would leave the agency.

  • In January 2026, the Justice Department began releasing the Epstein files.
  • Wasserman's emails with Maxwell were dated 2003, over a decade before Maxwell's arrest.

The players

Casey Wasserman

A high-profile entertainment executive who founded the Wasserman Group, a sports marketing and talent agency.

Ghislaine Maxwell

A former associate of Jeffrey Epstein who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Casey Wasserman (Memo to Wasserman Group staff)

“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.”

— Casey Wasserman (Memo to Wasserman Group staff)

What’s next

Wasserman has begun the process of selling the Wasserman Group, with Mike Watts assuming day-to-day control of the business while Wasserman focuses on bringing the 2028 Olympic Games to Los Angeles.

The takeaway

This case highlights the reputational risks that can arise from even limited associations with high-profile individuals accused of wrongdoing, underscoring the importance of carefully vetting one's professional and personal connections in the modern media landscape.