Wasserman Agency faces artist revolt after CEO appears in Epstein-related DOJ files

One of the music industry’s largest talent agencies is facing growing backlash after newly released Department of Justice documents revealed its founder and chief executive officer, Casey Wasserman, exchanged emails with Ghislaine Maxwell more than two decades ago.

While no confirmed departures by the agency’s biggest global stars have been reported, a widening group of smaller and mid-level artists have publicly cut ties with Mr. Wasserman or demanded leadership changes, signaling unrest inside the company.

Pop breakout Chappell Roan announced Monday that she is no longer represented by Mr. Wasserman, making her the most prominent artist to leave so far, according to Pitchfork.

“As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman, the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman,” Ms. Roan wrote on Instagram. “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.”

The controversy erupted following the release of additional DOJ records tied to the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. The documents included email correspondence between Mr. Wasserman and Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who is now serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for sex trafficking minors, as first reported by the Daily Bruin.

The emails date back to 2003 and have not resulted in criminal allegations against Mr. Wasserman. Still, their disclosure triggered swift reaction across the music industry, particularly among artists who said they were unaware of the association.

---

SEE ALSO: Chappell Roan leaves Wasserman Talent Agency following latest release of Epstein files

---

Public criticism began Friday, when Bethany Cosentino, frontwoman of the indie rock duo Best Coast, published an open letter calling on Mr. Wasserman to step down from the agency he founded in 2002, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“The position Casey Wasserman has put his agents in is inexcusable,” Ms. Cosentino wrote. “As an artist represented by Wasserman, I did not consent to having my name or my career tied to someone with this kind of association to exploitation.”

In the days that followed, several artists echoed those concerns. Beach Bunny said Sunday that the band was demanding Mr. Wasserman remove himself and his name from the agency, Variety reported. Indie rock group Wednesday announced Monday that it had ended its relationship with Wasserman, citing alarm over Mr. Wasserman’s communications with Maxwell.

Other artists, including Water From Your Eyes and Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells, have also publicly called for accountability.

Despite the backlash, no confirmed exits by top-tier artists such as Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay or Lorde have been reported, though many remain listed as clients, according to Variety.

Amid the uproar, Wasserman removed its full artist roster from its website over the weekend, a move first reported by Variety. Rival agencies, including CAA, WME and UTA, have since begun contacting Wasserman clients, according to industry sources cited by The Hollywood Reporter.

The crisis has also spread internally. Several senior music agents are exploring exit strategies, according to Deadline and Rolling Stone. Discussions have included potential defections, outside financing, or the possibility of buying out Wasserman’s music division.

Following the document release, Mr. Wasserman issued a public apology, telling The New York Times he “deeply regretted” his correspondence with Maxwell.

“I never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein,” Mr. Wasserman said, adding that he took part in a 2002 humanitarian trip aboard Epstein’s plane as part of a Clinton Foundation delegation. “I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”

According to Rolling Stone, Mr. Wasserman had previously assured executives that no additional information regarding his ties to Epstein or Maxwell would surface.

The fallout has extended beyond entertainment. Mr. Wasserman has served as chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee since 2014. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn publicly called for his resignation, telling Rolling Stone that his continued leadership risked distracting from preparations for the Games. Other local officials have voiced similar concerns, according to Axios.

This is not the first controversy to confront the agency. In mid-2024, reports alleged Mr. Wasserman engaged in repeated affairs with junior employees, claims he did not publicly address, according to Variety.

For now, while Wasserman’s biggest stars remain on the roster, the departure of rising and mid-level artists — capped by Ms. Roan’s exit — has underscored growing pressure on leadership at one of the industry’s most powerful agencies.