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LA 28 - The moment Casey Wasserman’s association with Jeffrey Epstein’s shame became public, he was a dead duck. An irreparable crack on the glass emerged, redistributing stress across the whole plane. Success was no longer possible; failure was certain. And he knew it.
In a Feb. 13 memo to his staff, he acknowledged his appearance in a recent batch of Epstein documents released in January had “become a distraction.” His marketing and talent management company based in Los Angeles was known as Wasserman Group. On March 9, his name was dropped from the talent agency and abstractly renamed The Team.
It was evident that keeping Wasserman on the agency name was unfair to the artists and athletes who depend on the brand for their careers. High‑profile client defects were taking place. Moreover, since the brand’s commercial value depends on public perception and sponsor comfort, a direct threat to agency revenue was feared.
Removing his name was a business survival strategy.
“I’m deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort,” Wasserman wrote to his staff. “It’s not fair to you, and it’s not fair to the clients and partners we represent so vigorously and care so deeply about,” according to the Los Angeles Times.
But a glaring contradiction remains.
If his past personal mistakes were deemed unfair for his clients, on what grounds can it be considered fair to the Olympians, the tradition of the Games, the City of Los Angeles, or the numerous sponsors who support the revered Olympics?
If an individual's reputation is deemed unsuitable for a private, commercial entity, it presents even greater challenges for an international organization founded on principles of fairness, honor, integrity, and ethical representation.
From their origin in ancient Greece, the Games were designed as a moral performance, not just an athletic one. Athletes were expected to embody ethical excellence. Even with today’s commercialism and politics a unique moral aura surrounds the Games. Unquestionably, they are the last global ritual of peaceful competition, a moment when the world agrees to follow the same rules.
The moral attribute of the Games is consistently reflected in the Olympic Hymn, which is performed during both the opening and closing ceremonies. The hymn emphasizes themes of hope, courage, and victory, referencing the enduring Olympic Flame and its ability to unite, inspire, and confer honor. As expressed in the lyrics by the Greek poet Kostis Palamas: “Shine like the sun, blazing above, bestow on us your honor, truth and love.”
Athletes also make a public pledge to uphold integrity by competing fairly and following the rules. Leadership scandals and breaches of Olympic values are not tolerated here. Principles like fairness, purity, and honor serve as their guiding ideals.
One would think that these Olympic principles are inviolable. Revelation of Wasserman’s salacious emails with Ghislaine Maxell, the accomplice of the late sex trafficker Epstein, contained in the Justice Department files, are shocking and certainly do not portray Wasserman ethically. The Olympics demand honor, and the Olympic brand has reflected this for 2800 years.
For LA28, Wasserman has now become a brand-safety risk. But, in today’s world, the only views that count are the opinion of sponsors. As of this moment, dismay is widely expressed, but the “drip- drip- drip," effect that I have used in the past, an idiom to describe a process happening very slowly, is now in steady motion. Initially, it is just background noise; soon, it escalates into a loud bang. A rapid change can occur if sponsors ask questions not asked before, or if sponsors publicly distance themselves or pause a deal.
Local political pressure has negligible effect on LA 28 outcomes. Although Mayor Karen Bass and City Council members have urged Wasserman to resign over his association with the Epstein files, the council lacks authority to act and the International Olympic Committee, has not intervened. The IOC is money-oriented and will act not because of morality or fairness, but because the financial backbone of the Games would be at risk.
Still, the drip-drip-drip scenario is very much in effect. The LA28 board and IOC continue to back him, citing an outside legal review that found no misconduct beyond what was already public. But misconduct means transgression. It also means injurious behavior.
The handpicked board of LA28 has cited an outside legal review that found no misconduct beyond what was already known. If new disclosures contradict that premise, the board’s justification collapses. However, what is already known is serious enough, and the mayor and city council have acted on it. Only the LA28 board or Wasserman himself can initiate a change at this point.
As I reflect on the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, I am reminded that Peter Ueberroth was chosen for his logistical expertise to lead the privately funded Games, after an exhaustive search, vetting and finally approved by a committee which interviewed other worthy candidates. His effective leadership established his public reputation as a civic-minded leader.
On the other hand, Wasserman was selected to win the Games for Los Angeles, and later became Chairman, not Chief Executive Officer. He is not operational chairman. His operational authority is distributed across committees and international partners. Wasserman represents elite-network authority and was chosen because LA needed a connected negotiator. He is seen as a political figure, not a civic steward.
Ueberroth built credibility through his achievements, while Wasserman relied on relationships. However, one relationship has hurt Wasserman's reputation, which is declining as his agency falters and LA28 faces political and funding issues. Once powerful, his influence is now greatly reduced.
For an exceptionally long time Wasserman has been saying in speeches and press conferences the Los Angeles Games must honor the Olympic movement’s ideals, and that they must reflect Los Angeles’ values.
Mr. Wasserman, as you did with your talent agency, removing your name from LA28 can be a business survival strategy. To use your own words "you have become a distraction". The honored Olympic symbolism can be preserved, and Los Angeles reputation sustained. The time has come for you to do the morally correct thing: RESIGN!
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(Nick Patsaouras is an electrical engineer, civic leader, and a longtime public advocate. He ran for Mayor in 1993 with a focus on rebuilding L.A. through transportation after the 1992 civil unrest. He has served on major public boards, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Metro, and the Board of Zoning Appeals, helping guide infrastructure and planning policy in Los Angeles. He is the author of the book "The Making of Modern Los Angeles.")
