Casey Wasserman is keeping his Olympics gig—at least for now. The chair of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games held onto the backing of LA28's Executive Committee on Wednesday, despite escalating criticism over his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the Los Angeles Times reports. After hiring outside counsel to review Wasserman's conduct, the committee said it found no interactions beyond what's already public: a 2002 trip to Africa on Epstein's jet for a Clinton Foundation mission, followed by flirtatious emails with Maxwell. Wasserman was married at the time, ABC 7 reports. Citing the fact that no new information was uncovered, plus what it called Wasserman's "strong leadership" over the last decade, the committee concluded he should stay on.
The move lands as pressure mounts elsewhere. Several Los Angeles officials, including City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez and state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, have urged Wasserman to step aside, warning his association with Maxwell risks distracting from the $7 billion Games. His talent agency is also under strain, with artists such as Chappell Roan, Abby Wambach, and Orville Peck cutting ties in recent days. Wasserman, who has not been accused of any crime, maintains he met Epstein only on that 2002 trip and never saw anything improper. Key political figures, including Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom, have so far stopped short of calling for his ouster. However, several other city councilmembers, including one who is running to replace Bass, were among those calling for Wasserman to step aside from the Games, Deadline reports.
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