LA Olympics Boss Casey Wasserman Faces Pressure to Resign Amid Epstein Files Fallout

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy emerges as potential replacement for Wasserman as Olympic chair

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Casey Wasserman, the boss of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is facing growing pressure to resign amid fallout from the revelation of his intimate emails with deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's convicted procurer Ghislaine Maxwell. Former House Speaker and LA28 board member Kevin McCarthy has been raised as a potential interim replacement for Wasserman, though concerns remain about McCarthy's lack of executive experience.

Why it matters

Wasserman's connections to Epstein and Maxwell have sparked outrage and calls for his resignation, threatening to become a major distraction for the LA28 Olympics organization. The leadership change could impact the Games' planning and funding, as McCarthy's appointment would bring both political advantages and drawbacks.

The details

Wasserman is working to mitigate the fallout, but high-profile clients have already cut ties with his company over the revelations. LA Mayor Karen Bass has said Wasserman's fate is up to the LA28 board, while other local politicians have called for his resignation. Anxiety is rising that more Epstein connections could still emerge.

  • In 2002, Wasserman took a two-week humanitarian trip to Africa with Epstein, Maxwell, Bill Clinton, and Kevin Spacey.
  • On January 30, 2026, millions of pages of Epstein documents were released, including 2003 emails between Wasserman and Maxwell.
  • Wasserman was recently removed from Telemundo's February 12 Playmakers event.

The players

Casey Wasserman

The boss of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, facing growing pressure to resign amid fallout from revelations of his intimate emails with Ghislaine Maxwell.

Kevin McCarthy

A former House Speaker and LA28 board member who has been raised as a potential interim replacement for Wasserman as Olympic chair, though concerns remain about his lack of executive experience.

Karen Bass

The reelection-seeking mayor of Los Angeles, who has said Wasserman's fate is ultimately up to the LA28 board.

Nithya Raman

A Los Angeles City Council member and mayoral candidate who has called for Wasserman to resign before he becomes more of a 'distraction'.

Ghislaine Maxwell

The convicted procurer of Jeffrey Epstein, who exchanged intimate emails with Wasserman in 2003.

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What’s next

The LA28 board is expected to make a decision on Wasserman's future in the coming days or weeks.

The takeaway

Wasserman's connections to the Epstein scandal have severely damaged his credibility and standing, threatening to become a major distraction for the LA28 Olympics organization. The leadership change could have significant implications for the Games' planning and funding.