Pop star Chappell Roan announced on Monday that she has parted ways with the talent agency headed by Casey Wasserman, the chief of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, who recently faced backlash for engaging in flirtatious email conversations with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell over two decades ago. Wasserman has since expressed regret for his interactions with Maxwell following the disclosure of their personal email exchanges.
Newly released files linked to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell’s former partner, by the U.S. Justice Department in late February contained flirtatious email exchanges between Wasserman and Maxwell from 2003, despite Wasserman being married at the time.
In a statement on Instagram, Roan confirmed her decision to sever ties with Wasserman’s agency, emphasizing the importance of artists having representation that upholds their values and ensures their safety and respect. Roan stated that her choice reflects a belief that substantial transformation in the industry necessitates accountability and trustworthy leadership.
Wasserman, known for his roles in sports and entertainment, has refuted any personal or professional affiliation with Epstein. In his apology for his association with Maxwell, he clarified that their relationship predated the public knowledge of Maxwell and Epstein’s criminal activities.
The talent agency affiliated with Wasserman did not provide an immediate response to inquiries on Monday.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence following her conviction in New York in 2021 on various charges, including the trafficking of minors. She was apprehended in 2020 after federal prosecutors accused her of recruiting and grooming young girls for Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
The extensive release of internal documents by the U.S. Justice Department concerning Epstein has unveiled his connections to numerous influential figures before and after his 2008 guilty plea to prostitution charges involving a minor. Epstein’s demise in a Manhattan prison in 2019 was ruled a suicide.
