Chappell Roan leaves talent agency led by Casey Wasserman, who appears
in Epstein files
[February 11, 2026]
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.
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Chappell Roan arrives at the 68th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday,
Feb. 1, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
 — “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.”
— 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.”
— 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."
— 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.”
— 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.
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