BY MIRABEL ODETA
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Monday that Casey Wasserman should resign as chairman of the committee organizing the 2028 Olympic Games, following renewed public attention on his past interactions with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
The controversy intensified after the U.S. Justice Department released files late last month that included email exchanges from more than 20 years ago between Wasserman and Maxwell. The messages, described as flirtatious in tone, date back to a period before Maxwell and her longtime associate, the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, were publicly exposed for their crimes.
Maxwell is currently serving a prison sentence after being convicted for her role in helping recruit and traffic underage girls for Epstein. Epstein, who had previously been convicted of sex offenses, died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on additional charges.
Wasserman has repeatedly denied having any personal or business relationship with Epstein. He has also acknowledged his prior association with Maxwell, emphasizing that their interactions occurred years before any criminal conduct by her or Epstein became known to him or the broader public. In earlier statements, Wasserman apologized for what he described as poor judgment in maintaining contact with Maxwell, while insisting he had no knowledge of or involvement in any wrongdoing.
The board of LA28, the private organizing committee responsible for planning and delivering the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, reviewed the matter last week. After conducting what it described as a thorough examination, the board concluded that Wasserman’s connections to Epstein and Maxwell did not extend beyond what had already been publicly reported. As a result, it announced that he would remain in his leadership role.
According to the board’s findings, more than two decades ago, Wasserman and his then-wife traveled on a humanitarian trip to Africa aboard Epstein’s private plane. The flight, the board stated, was arranged at the invitation of the Clinton Foundation. LA28 said this was Wasserman’s only direct interaction with Epstein and that the email exchanges with Maxwell took place shortly thereafter.
Despite the board’s decision to retain him, Bass made clear she disagrees with the outcome. In an interview with CNN, she said, “My opinion is that he should step down,” while acknowledging that the authority to remove him does not rest with her office.
“That’s not the opinion of the board,” Bass added, underscoring the division between her personal stance and the committee’s formal position. She described the board’s decision as unfortunate and reiterated that she does not support it. However, she also emphasized that her primary responsibility as mayor is ensuring that Los Angeles is fully prepared to host what she hopes will be a historic and successful Olympic Games.
“The board made a decision,” Bass said. “I think that decision was unfortunate, I don’t support the decision. I do think that we need to look at the leadership. However, my job as mayor of Los Angeles is to make sure that our city is completely prepared to have the best Olympics that has ever happened in Olympic history.”
Bass further stated that the conduct of Maxwell and those involved in her criminal network was deeply disturbing. She noted that issues related to exploitation and trafficking are matters she has worked on for many years, signaling that her concerns are rooted in longstanding advocacy rather than political optics.
Meanwhile, additional questions about Wasserman’s future have surfaced beyond his Olympic role. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Wasserman informed employees at his talent and marketing agency that he had begun the process of putting the company up for sale. According to the report, he told staff that he believed he had “become a distraction” to the firm’s operations amid the renewed scrutiny.
The 2028 Summer Olympics represent a major undertaking for Los Angeles, marking the city’s third time hosting the Games. With billions of dollars in infrastructure, sponsorships, and global attention at stake, leadership stability at LA28 has been viewed as critical. The board, in its statement, praised Wasserman’s “strong leadership” over the past decade, crediting him with guiding the organizing committee through complex planning phases and maintaining momentum toward the Games.
Still, the debate over accountability and public trust continues, as city leaders, stakeholders, and residents weigh whether past associations—regardless of timing—should influence present leadership in one of the world’s most high-profile sporting events.
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