Chappell Roan leaves talent agency led by Casey Wasserman, who appears in Epstein files

Grammy-winning singer Chappell Roan has left the talent agency led by entertainment industry executive and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics chair Casey Wasserman, who appears in recently released government files on Jeffrey Epstein.

Wasserman has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, but documents released by the Justice Department revealed that in 2003, he exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, who, years later, would be accused of helping Epstein recruit and sexually abuse his victims.

“As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman, the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman,” she wrote in an Instagram Story shared Monday. “I hold my teams to the highest standards and have a duty to protect them as well. No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”

She did not mention Epstein in the statement.

“I have deep respect and appreciation for the agents and staff who work tirelessly for their artists and I refuse to passively stand by,” Roan continued. “Artists deserve representation that aligns with their values and supports their safety and dignity. This decision reflects my belief that meaningful change in our industry requires accountability and leadership that earns trust.”

Among the exchanges included was Wasserman telling Maxwell, “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?”

Wasserman responded to the release of the files on Jan. 31, stating “I deeply regret my correspondence with Ghislaine Maxwell,” which he said occurred “long before her horrific crimes came to light.”

“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” he continued.

Wasserman was among several a handful of entertainment industry figures, including the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, who accompanied former U.S. President Bill Clinton aboard Epstein’s jet for a philanthropy-related trip to Africa in 2002. In a Feb. 8 statement to the Los Angeles Times, Wasserman said it was the only time he met Epstein.

“Following that trip, where I never witnessed anything inappropriate, I did not speak to, see him or communicate with him ever again,” he said.

At the time, there had yet to be any public reports of wrongdoing by either Maxwell or Epstein, who was first investigated by police in 2005. The records released by the government don’t show any correspondence between Wasserman and Maxwell after 2003, appear to contain scant other references to him.

Maxwell was charged in 2020 with sex trafficking and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Representatives for Roan and Wasserman did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Artists speak out

Roan’s departure from Wasserman follows statements from other artists on the agency’s roster.

1. “Given the circumstances we feel strongly that we need to begin the process of extracting ourselves from Wasserman,” the alt-country band Wednesday wrote on Instagram. “Continuing to be represented by a company led by and named after Casey Wasserman goes against our values and cannot continue.”

2. The indie rock band Beach Bunny wrote on Instagram, “We are demanding for Wasserman to remove himself and his name from the agency, ‘deep regrets’ are not enough.”

3. The New York duo Water From Your Eyes wrote on Instagram that they have “no interest in being affiliated with Casey Wasserman and have absolutely zero intention of condoning his actions by silently remaining under his namesake banner.”

4. Electropop duo Sylvan Esso wrote in an Instagram Story, “We along with many other musicians, are leaving the Wasserman agency. … We don’t know where we’ll be next, but it will not be anywhere he is.”

5. And last week, Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino published an open letter urging Wasserman to step down from his company. “Ghislaine Maxwell is not a neutral character in a messy story— she is a convicted sex trafficker who helped facilitate the abuse of minors. … I did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation.”

Who is Casey Wasserman?

Wasserman, grandson of movie mogul Lew Wasserman and son of stockbroker Jack Myers, built a sports and talent agency that represents top players in football, basketball and baseball — along with big-name actors such as Adam Sandler and Brad Pitt, as well as musicians including Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Kasey Musgraves and Lorde.

He’s been at the center of headlines recently as the frontman for the Los Angeles Olympic effort; his lobbying played a big role in bringing the Summer Olympics back to the U.S. in 2028. Los Angeles previously hosted in 1984, and this will be the first Summer Games in the United States since Atlanta in 1996.

But as it stands, it does not appear that the International Olympic Committee is interested in putting pressure on Wasserman.

Last week, IOC president Kirsty Coventry was asked if Wasserman was still the right person to oversee the next Summer Games; she responded, “From the IOC point of view, the (organizing committee) and how they are structured is not something we are going to get involved into.”

Wasserman has faced calls from lawmakers and those in political circles in L.A. to step down as chair of the city’s Olympic project he has led since it was first a hosting candidate 11 years ago.