{"id":170272,"date":"2026-02-09T11:32:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:32:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/170272\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T11:32:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T11:32:18","slug":"how-casey-wasserman-entered-epsteins-orbit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/170272\/","title":{"rendered":"How Casey Wasserman entered Epstein’s orbit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Casey Wasserman boarded Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s private jet for a two-week tour <\/a>of Africa in 2002, he had little inkling he was embarking on a journey that could imperil his fortune. <\/p>\n

The 28-year-old scion of Hollywood mogul Lew Wasserman<\/a> was already the heir of a multimillion-dollar philanthropic foundation, the owner of a professional football team and the founder of a growing sports marketing firm. But many saw this as just the beginning for Wasserman, who seemed destined to follow his legendary grandfather as a business, political and culture titan. <\/p>\n

He found an opportunity to step onto the world stage when former President Clinton invited him on a humanitarian trip to five African countries<\/a> to promote AIDS\/HIV prevention and economic development in nations racked by disease and war. <\/p>\n

Wasserman, a prolific Clinton fundraiser whose grandfather helped him win the 1992 presidential election, was joined by others including his then-wife, Laura, actor Kevin Spacey, Epstein and his longtime companion Ghislaine Maxwell.<\/p>\n

\"Casey <\/p>\n

Casey Wasserman, then a 28-year-old owner of the LA Avengers, is photographed at his office in Beverly Hills in January 2003. <\/p>\n

(Gary Friedman \/ Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Revelations around that trip and Wasserman\u2019s risque emails with Maxwell now threaten his legacy. <\/p>\n

A trove of documents recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice offer new details about the journey to Africa and Wasserman\u2019s intimate relationship with Maxwell \u2014 an entanglement that has jeopardized his leadership of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

\"From <\/p>\n

From left, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, then-AEG CEO of Timothy J. Leiweke and Casey Wasserman attend the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting in 2011 in New York City. <\/p>\n

(Daniel Berehulak \/ Getty Images for AEG)<\/p>\n

Wasserman boarded Epstein\u2019s jet three years before the family of a 14-year-old girl in Palm Beach, Fla., reported she was molested by Epstein, triggering a decades-long investigation that resulted in Epstein\u2019s 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution and 2019 arrest<\/a> for sex trafficking underage girls. Wasserman has not been linked to any of Epstein\u2019s wrongdoings.<\/p>\n

Wasserman has previously apologized for his correspondence with Maxwell and expressed regret for having any association with both her and Epstein.<\/p>\n

In a statement to The Times on Sunday, he said the Africa trip was the only time he met Epstein. \u201cFollowing that trip, where I never witnessed anything inappropriate, I did not speak to, see him or communicate with him ever again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"This <\/p>\n

This undated photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime confidant of Jeffrey Epstein and convicted sex offender.<\/p>\n

(U.S. Department of Justice via Associated Press)<\/p>\n

For Wasserman, now 51, the most damaging of the files<\/a> highlight his relationship with Maxwell, the Oxford University-educated daughter of British newspaper magnate Robert Maxwell. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison<\/a> in 2022 for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think of you all the time,\u201d Wasserman wrote to Maxwell about five months after he and his wife left Africa. \u201cSo, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?\u201d<\/p>\n

Maxwell, in turn, offered Wasserman a massage that can \u201cdrive a man wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scandal has roiled Los Angeles, where Wasserman serves as the face of the Olympics. Since the emails were released Jan. 30<\/a> by the federal government, some L.A. officials have demanded that he step down<\/a> from the organizing committee of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games. But he appears to still have the support of Olympic leaders and the LA28 board<\/a>, at least for now. <\/p>\n

Wasserman is one of L.A.\u2019s most influential figures<\/a>, presiding over a sports marketing and talent agency that represents professional athletes, including star Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and scores of top musicians, such as Kendrick Lamar, Kacey Musgraves, Chappell Roan and Coldplay.<\/p>\n

\u201cWasserman is in trouble,\u201d longtime Los Angeles political observer Sherry Bebitch Jeffe said. \u201cThese Games are so important to Los Angeles \u2014 economically and politically. This will not be helpful to the city if this drumbeat continues and gets louder.\u201d<\/p>\n

Movie studio titan Lew Wasserman\u2019s only grandson entered the world in 1974 as Casey Myers. <\/p>\n

His parents, Lynne Wasserman and stockbroker Jack Myers, separated when he was 7. His father wasn\u2019t much of a figure in his life and was later charged<\/a> with money-laundering. Lew and his wife, Edie, filled the gap.<\/p>\n

\"Lew <\/p>\n

Lew R. Wasserman, chairman of MCA\u2019s board of directors since 1973, is shown in December 1976 at an unknown location. Wasserman became president and chief executive officer of MCA Inc., later known as Universal Studios Inc., the major entertainment and communications company. <\/p>\n

(Associated Press)<\/p>\n

\u201cLew was disappointed he never had a son,\u201d Lew Wasserman\u2019s biographer Dennis McDougal told The Times<\/a> in 2002. \u201cIn his typical fashion, by dint of his power and his money and his overbearing personality, he took what he wanted. He essentially stole Jack Myers\u2019 son. By the time Casey was a teenager, the die was cast. He was Lew\u2019s little boy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like his famous grandfather, Casey was drawn to politics and one figure in particular: Bill Clinton.<\/p>\n

In 1992, the then-governor of Arkansas was struggling for traction in his presidential bid and his campaign was heavily in debt when a stately door opened for him in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Lew Wasserman, the godfather of modern-day Hollywood, was willing to help propel Clinton to the White House. <\/p>\n

A larger-than-life figure, Wasserman was a onetime talent agent who clawed his way to the pinnacle of power by building an entertainment colossus with movie production, television, music and theme parks. His MCA Inc., which owned Universal, gave a young Steven Spielberg his break that became \u201cJaws.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lew and Edie Wasserman held a splashy fundraiser for Clinton in August 1992 at their Beverly Hills mansion adorned with Matisse and Degas paintings. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Kirk Douglas were among the stars who attended the $5,000-per-plate<\/a> dinner.<\/p>\n

\"Lew <\/p>\n

Lew Wasserman and Edie Wasserman attend a party at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on April 20, 1984. <\/p>\n

(WWD \/ Penske Media via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cLew figuratively \u2014 and literally \u2014 put his arm around Clinton, and that was very helpful,\u201d said a former Clinton aide who was not authorized to speak publicly.<\/p>\n

Clinton mingled with guests and gave a short speech, according to one former MCA agent who was there. Casey later told the Hollywood Reporter <\/a>it was his first meeting with Clinton. He was just 18. <\/p>\n

The event raised $1 million, according to a 1992 Times article<\/a>. It also marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the Wassermans and the Clintons \u2014 one that remains to this day, according to people close to the family.<\/p>\n

As Wasserman aged, he was determined that his grandson would have the same high-level political access. \u201cLew loved Casey and he wanted him to meet a lot of the powerful people,\u201d the former Clinton aide said.<\/p>\n

At 21, Casey received his multimillion-dollar inheritance and changed his name to Wasserman. Two years later, he played golf with President Clinton at the Hillcrest Country Club.<\/p>\n

After Clinton left the White House, the former president asked Lew Wasserman whether he would host a fundraising luncheon to promote the launch of his foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy grandfather said yes, \u2018but only one thing: I will be there, but Casey is going to host at his house,\u2019\u201d Casey later said<\/a>. \u201cI was 26 at the time, and thankfully my wife \u2014 who wasn\u2019t my wife yet \u2014 was around to help with the combined pressure of having the just ex-president and my grandparents there.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve since built an incredible friendship,\u201d Casey said of Clinton. \u201cI\u2019ve been terribly lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Laura <\/p>\n

Laura Ziffren and Wasserman Media Group CEO Casey Wasserman attend a luncheon honoring Casey at UCLA\u2019s Pauley Pavilion on Nov. 18, 2015, in Westwood.<\/p>\n

(Jesse Grant \/ Getty Images for National Football Foundation)<\/p>\n

Casey Wasserman and his then-wife, Laura, set off for Africa on Epstein\u2019s jet \u2014 an aircraft that would one day gain notoriety as the \u201cLolita Express\u201d \u2014 the same year his family\u2019s foundation donated $3 million to the Clinton Library Foundation.<\/p>\n

Joining them was an eclectic crew: Clinton and his aides, Secret Service agents, actors Spacey and Chris Tucker, businessman Ronald Burkle, and former Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater, along with Epstein and Maxwell.<\/p>\n

Several unidentified young women were also on the plane. <\/p>\n

\"Kevin <\/p>\n

Kevin Spacey poses for photographers on the red carpet for the film \u201cFather Mother Sister Brother\u201d at the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, in August.<\/p>\n

(Alessandra Tarantino \/ Invision \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n

According to newly released FBI notes based on a telephone interview with an emergency physician who traveled with the group, about four women ages 20 to 22 were on board. Their names were redacted from the file, but according to the physician, one young woman was a masseuse, another a model and a third described herself as a ballerina.<\/p>\n

The physician, the report said, \u201cthought it weird that Epstein flew with his former girlfriend, Maxwell, and four other women that no one knew why they were there as everyone else had a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the FBI, the physician described the jet layout as a cockpit up front, then a seating area where Clinton and his staff sat, a kitchenette, another seating area with couches and a bedroom in the back with a sliding wooden door.<\/p>\n

At one point, the physician told the FBI, one of the unidentified passengers shut Epstein\u2019s bedroom door abruptly, as if they \u201cdid not want him to see or hear what was going on in that bedroom.\u201d He also said he witnessed Epstein \u201cgrab and rub\u201d an unidentified passenger\u2019s buttocks. <\/p>\n

There was no evidence that Wasserman or any other passengers \u2014 who largely stayed in the front of the cabin \u2014 witnessed any inappropriate behavior.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s first stop<\/a> was Ghana, where they launched a program with a Peruvian economist that would establish a legal property system for the poor. Next was Nigeria, and then Rwanda and Mozambique, where they visited AIDS clinics. In South Africa, they met Nelson Mandela to recognize a project to cut the country\u2019s youth HIV\/AIDS infection rate by half in five years.<\/p>\n

Spacey told The Times he joined Clinton on the Africa trip to raise awareness and funds for HIV\/AIDS, visit clinics and communities, and spend \u201can unforgettable day with Nelson Mandela.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"Financier <\/p>\n

Financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago in February 2000. <\/p>\n

(Davidoff Studios Photography\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe work \u2014 particularly helping ensure HIV-positive pregnant women received life-saving medication \u2014 remains one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,\u201d he said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s unfortunate that such important work has been overshadowed by the fact that the plane was provided by someone I did not know, had no association with, and never saw again.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Clinton Foundation did not respond to a request for comment. Clinton is scheduled to testify this month before a congressional committee \u2014 a historic appearance by a former president \u2014 to detail his dealings with Epstein.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have called for the full release of the Epstein files,\u201d Clinton said<\/a> Friday in a statement. \u201cI have provided a sworn statement of what I know. And just this week, I\u2019ve agreed to appear in person before the committee.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the trip, Wasserman and Maxwell kept in touch, sending each other salacious emails from various cities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere are you, I miss you,\u201d Wasserman wrote on April 1, 2003. \u201cI will be in nyc for 4 days starting april 22 … can we book that massage now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUmm \u2014 all that rubbing \u2014 are you sure you can take it?\u201d Maxwell wrote on April 2. \u201cThe thought frankly is leaving me a little breathless. There are a few spots that apparently drive a man wild \u2014 I suppose I could practise them on you and you could let me know if they work or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

The pair also traded jokes. On April 6, Maxwell told him she was headed to London and could bring him back British staples: KitKat, cheddar cheese or baked beans. He passed.<\/p>\n

\u201cOk, so that combo did not do it for you, what combo would then? she asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou, me and not much else,\u201d Wasserman replied.<\/p>\n

In another exchange April 12, Maxwell told him that she was coming to L.A. and planned to stay at the Peninsula hotel in Beverly Hills. Wasserman replied with a smiley face.<\/p>\n

A month after the racy exchanges, Laura Wasserman \u2014 daughter of Hollywood legal power broker Ken Ziffren, a close friend of Lew Wasserman \u2014 gave birth to the couple\u2019s first child, a son.<\/p>\n

Casey Wasserman launched his eponymous talent and marketing firm in 2002, a time when sports media were soaring and athletes increasingly were celebrities. He made a calculated decision to bypass the movie business, recognizing that he would always be measured against his grandfather\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

Over the next few decades, the Wasserman agency expanded into a major force in entertainment. Through strategic acquisitions, Wasserman now has about 4,000 employees and has branched out into television and music representation, acquiring a diverse portfolio of clients, including the Barenaked Ladies and the Dave Matthews Band.<\/p>\n

His influence stretched further in 2014 when then-Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a close friend, insisted that Wasserman\u2019s fundraising skills and access to movers and shakers made him the perfect figure to lead L.A.\u2019s effort to land the Summer Olympics<\/a>. Three years later, L.A. secured the role as host of the 2028 Games.<\/p>\n

Today, Wasserman is under extraordinary pressure to deliver a spectacular event to uphold the city\u2019s tradition of excellence. The 1984 Games surpassed expectations and even turned a profit, projecting a unified and gleaming image of Los Angeles to the world.<\/p>\n

Wasserman takes no salary as chairman of LA28, but he has received benefits, including travel and other expenses. The Games also will showcase, and perhaps boost the fortunes of, his agency\u2019s numerous Olympic athlete clients. <\/p>\n

His ties to corporate sponsors, politicians and sports figures have been viewed by civic leaders as crucial to the success of the Games.<\/p>\n

\"Peter <\/p>\n

Peter Chernin, former president of News Corp., left, and Casey Wasserman, chief executive officer of Wasserman Media Group, walk the grounds after a morning session during the Allen & Co. Media and Technology Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, in 2015.<\/p>\n

(David Paul Morris \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Even before the latest scandal, there were tensions between Wasserman and some Los Angeles politicians who are concerned that financial shortfalls in staging the $7-billion Summer Games will need to be covered by local taxpayers. Other host cities have been left with yawning deficits, prompting local political blowback. LA28 organizers have expressed confidence that the Games will be a success.<\/p>\n

The relationship between the city and LA28 was further strained when the Daily Mail<\/a>, a British tabloid, published allegations in 2024 that Wasserman was a \u201cserial cheater\u201d who\u2019d carried on affairs with young female staff members. Wasserman, who separated from Laura in 2021, denied the allegations.<\/p>\n

Wasserman, at the time, was in Paris for the 2024 Games.<\/p>\n

The sports mogul \u2014 who had helped carry the torch at the 1984 Summer Olympics in L.A. when he was 10 \u2014 had been scheduled to join Mayor Karen Bass on the Paris stage during the flag handoff at the glitzy closing ceremony televised around the world.<\/p>\n

But Bass, who does not have the personal relationship with Wasserman that her predecessors Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa did, instead stepped up to the stage alone. Then she was joined by gold-medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles, and they handed the flag to Tom Cruise.<\/p>\n

Wasserman does not appear ready to bow to pressure from politicians, including Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who have called for him to step down as head of LA28. <\/p>\n

\"Casey <\/p>\n

Casey Wasserman, chair of the 2028 LA Olympics organizing committee, and President Trump look at Olympic medals during a signing ceremony at the White House in August.<\/p>\n

(Kent Nishimura \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not about shaming him for his past indiscretions,\u201d Hahn said. \u201cThis is about the message we are sending to Epstein survivors and to the world about our values \u2014 especially as we work to combat any sex trafficking associated with the Games.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the release of the latest Epstein documents, lawyers<\/a>, art museum executives<\/a>, a former U.K. ambassador<\/a> and Slovakia\u2019s national security advisor<\/a> have resigned, apologized or stepped back from high positions. Britain\u2019s King Charles III stripped his brother Andrew of his prince title and position in the royal family after earlier revelations of his involvement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Epstein files have been so powerful in moving people off the stage,\u201d Bebitch Jeffe said.<\/p>\n

But Wasserman appears to still enjoy the support of LA28\u2019s nearly three-dozen-member board, which includes actor Jessica Alba, former movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, Lakers minority owner Jeanie Buss, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and former Trump White House aide Reince Priebus.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, he could weather the Maxwell controversy, hoisting the Olympic flame in 2028 \u2014 just like he did as a boy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Casey Wasserman boarded Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s private jet for a two-week tour of Africa in 2002, he had…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":170273,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[33360,3384,81644,37911,81645,34957,81647,81646,48,52,51,46330,47,50,49,63,59118,1791,5988,4609,72],"class_list":["post-170272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-africa","tag-bill-clinton","tag-casey-myers","tag-casey-wasserman","tag-emergency-physician","tag-epstein","tag-former-president-clinton","tag-hollywood-mogul-lew-wasserman","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-lew","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-los-angeles-times","tag-maxwell","tag-times","tag-trip","tag-wife","tag-year"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170272","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170272"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170272\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170273"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}