Los Angeles 2028 Olympics Chief Apologizes for Maxwell Emails Amid Epstein Ties Denial
Casey Wasserman, the president of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympics, has apologized for exchanging flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker and former girlfriend of late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The apology comes amid growing scrutiny over Wasserman's past associations with Epstein.
According to newly released US Department of Justice files, the email exchanges between Wasserman and Maxwell dated back to 2003, when Wasserman was married. The emails, which were published on Friday, showed a close personal connection between the two despite Wasserman's claims of not having had any business or personal relationship with Epstein.
Wasserman stated in a statement that he "never had a personal or business relationship" with Epstein and expressed remorse for his association with Maxwell. However, the US Department of Justice files include records of Maxwell recruiting and grooming girls for sex encounters with Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to comment on the matter, stating that Wasserman had made a statement and they had nothing further to add. IOC President Kirsty Coventry acknowledged that past Olympics have been marred by controversy before their start, but expressed confidence in the organization's ability to move forward despite distractions.
Wasserman, a sports and entertainment executive, has been leading the LA28 Olympic project since its bidding phase and currently serves as chairman of the organizing committee. The 2028 Summer Olympics were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017, and Wasserman's role in the games is being closely watched amid this latest controversy.
As the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Olympics approaches, Coventry expressed her faith that the games would capture the world's attention and remind everyone of the "magic and spirit" of the Olympics. However, for many, the Wasserman-Maxwell email scandal raises questions about the organization's ability to effectively navigate controversies before its own Games.
Casey Wasserman, the president of the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympics, has apologized for exchanging flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker and former girlfriend of late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The apology comes amid growing scrutiny over Wasserman's past associations with Epstein.
According to newly released US Department of Justice files, the email exchanges between Wasserman and Maxwell dated back to 2003, when Wasserman was married. The emails, which were published on Friday, showed a close personal connection between the two despite Wasserman's claims of not having had any business or personal relationship with Epstein.
Wasserman stated in a statement that he "never had a personal or business relationship" with Epstein and expressed remorse for his association with Maxwell. However, the US Department of Justice files include records of Maxwell recruiting and grooming girls for sex encounters with Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to comment on the matter, stating that Wasserman had made a statement and they had nothing further to add. IOC President Kirsty Coventry acknowledged that past Olympics have been marred by controversy before their start, but expressed confidence in the organization's ability to move forward despite distractions.
Wasserman, a sports and entertainment executive, has been leading the LA28 Olympic project since its bidding phase and currently serves as chairman of the organizing committee. The 2028 Summer Olympics were awarded to Los Angeles in 2017, and Wasserman's role in the games is being closely watched amid this latest controversy.
As the opening ceremony of the Milano-Cortina Olympics approaches, Coventry expressed her faith that the games would capture the world's attention and remind everyone of the "magic and spirit" of the Olympics. However, for many, the Wasserman-Maxwell email scandal raises questions about the organization's ability to effectively navigate controversies before its own Games.
. This is a huge mess for the IOC and LA28. I'm not saying Casey Wasserman did anything wrong, but how could he not know about Maxwell's shady past? And what's with these "apologies" that are just a PR stunt 
? It's like they're trying to sweep it under the rug. And don't even get me started on Kirsty Coventry's response - "controversies before their start"? Give me a break 
. The Olympics are all about unity and fair play, not covering up your own dirty secrets. Can we just have some transparency for once? 
I don't think this apology is enough, you know? Wasserman's been leading the LA28 Olympic project and now he's got ties to Epstein, which is pretty shady if you ask me 
. He says he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein, but those email exchanges between him and Maxwell are super suspicious. I mean, what were they talking about all those years ago? It's not like Wasserman was just being friendly... 
. They're trying to focus on the positives and remind us of the "magic and spirit" of the Olympics, but for those of us who care about accountability, it's hard to ignore these shady connections 
.
. Now, I'm not saying he's guilty or anything, but come on, be honest for once! 
that this is still happening in 2025. It's like we're reliving the same mistakes over and over. I mean, come on, a convicted sex trafficker? That's not something you can just apologize your way out of. Wasserman needs to do more than just say sorry, he needs to explain why he was so close to her back in 2003... 
. The IOC should've been more transparent from the start and now we're left wondering what other skeletons might be hiding in their closet 
.
The public's got to be asked what's good with Wasserman runnin' the show... 
I'm really disappointed in this whole situation with Casey Wasserman and his emails with Ghislaine Maxwell. Like, how could he not know who she was or what she was involved in back then? It's not like it's a secret or anything. And now that all these emails have come out, he's apologizing and trying to distance himself from Jeffrey Epstein... I don't know, man.
, this is crazy! Wasserman was so into Maxwell back in 2003 but like totally denied any connections to Epstein now? 
and the whole world watching his every move...this is gonna be a wild ride for LA28! 
the IOC is trying to brush it off like it's no big deal but it's super sus. like, Wasserman has been leading the LA28 Olympics and they're all about being "inclusive" and "responsible" but now we find out he was emailing with Ghislaine Maxwell and that's just plain crazy 
I mean what else did he know? were they planning on colluding or something? 
. And to make matters worse, he's in charge of the whole LA28 Olympics thing... How can we trust him to handle stuff when his own personal life is like a hot mess 
that's not just 'personal connection', that's creepy 
the IOC needs to take responsibility for vetting their staff better 
...I think this scandal could really tarnish the 2028 Olympics' reputation and make people wonder if they're really worth attending.
. The IOC is trying to move forward, and that's good, but you gotta wonder if this whole thing will affect the Games' vibe in LA. Fingers crossed it won't be a major distraction! 
) 'cause we all make mistakes right? But it's like, how are they going to fix this now that it's out in the open? 
this is really sad, i can imagine how Wasserman must be feeling right now. he seems like a good guy who didn't realize what Maxwell was involved in back then. 2003 is ages ago and people change over time. maybe it's not about being friends with someone because of their association but more about not knowing the full extent of what they're involved in at the time. 
. The IOC is trying to downplay it, but I think we should be asking more questions about how Wasserman ended up in this position in the first place 
It's a mess, man. A big ol' mess