Los Angeles City Council Calls for Probe into LA28 Leader's Epstein Connections
The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously passed a resolution urging the LA 2028 Olympics committee to conduct an investigation into Casey Wasserman, the chief of LA28, regarding his associations with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Wasserman faces increasing pressure to step down following revelations that he traveled on Epstein's private jet and exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's jailed associate, in 2003.
Although the resolution is symbolic and not legally binding, it reflects growing unease within the host city of the upcoming Summer Games about Wasserman's role.
Wasserman, a sports and entertainment executive, has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing and has expressed regret over the email exchanges, which date back nearly two decades.
The city council adopted the resolution with a 12-0 vote, expressing
"concern regarding the potential conflict between the Olympic movement's values and Casey Wasserman's association with the Epstein files"and calling for a
"thorough and transparent"review of his involvement with Epstein.
Last month, the LA28 executive committee announced that Wasserman would remain in his position after hiring external legal counsel to examine any possible misconduct.
The committee stated,
"We found Mr Wasserman's relationship with Epstein and Maxwell did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented."
Following the city council's vote on Friday, the LA28 board issued a statement to the BBC affirming its prior decision regarding Wasserman's leadership and emphasizing its focus on the Games' preparation.
"With the Board's position on leadership established, LA28's focus remains on delivering a fiscally responsible, privately funded Games that protects taxpayers and benefits Los Angeles,"the statement read.
"We are on track to deliver a successful Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2028."
Calls for Resignation and Agency Sale
The council's vote occurred amid widespread demands for Wasserman's removal, voiced by celebrities, politicians, and including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. Numerous musicians and athletes represented by Wasserman's talent agency announced their intention to sever ties with the firm.
In response, Wasserman revealed he had initiated the process to sell the major Los Angeles-based agency, acknowledging that he had
"become a distraction."
In an email to the agency's 4,000 employees, obtained by the BBC, Wasserman wrote:
"I'm deeply sorry that my past personal mistakes have caused you so much discomfort."
"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."
Context of Epstein Documents and Wasserman's Position
Wasserman is among numerous prominent individuals named in the extensive Epstein documents; however, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing by Epstein's victims. The presence of his name in the files does not imply criminal conduct.
The BBC has reached out to Wasserman's representatives for comment regarding the city council's resolution.
Wasserman has previously expressed that he
"deeply regrets"his communications with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for facilitating Epstein's sexual abuse of teenage girls.
He emphasized that his email exchanges with Maxwell
"took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light,"and stated that he never engaged in any business dealings with Epstein.
