Singer Chappell Roan says she has left the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman, whose name appears in the Epstein files.
Announcing her split with the agency, Roan said she has a “duty to protect her team” and her decision reflected her belief that “meaningful change in our industry requires accountability”.
Wasserman has been criticised after his flirtatious emails to Ghislaine Maxwell, sent in 2003, were revealed among the millions of files published in relation to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Roan made no mention of Epstein, nor the Epstein files, in her statement on Instagram announcing her departure.
“As of today, I am no longer represented by Wasserman, the talent agency led by Casey Wasserman,” she said.
Roan added: “No artist, agent or employee should ever be expected to defend or overlook actions that conflict so deeply with our own moral values.”
The BBC has reached out to Wasserman for comment.
Wasserman is also the chairman of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, and has faced calls to step down from the position following the release of the emails.
He has said he “deeply regrets” the messages exchanged with Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting and trafficking teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein.
He said in a statement that his correspondence with Maxwell “took place over two decades ago, long before her horrific crimes came to light”.
Who is in the Epstein files?
Wasserman also emphasised that he had “never had a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein”.
“As is well documented, I went on a humanitarian trip as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation in 2002 on the Epstein plane,” he said.
“I am terribly sorry for having any association with either of them.”
Wasserman has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims, and the appearance of his name in the files does not imply criminal activity of any kind.
Roan’s announcement comes after two other bands represented by Wasserman released statements indicating they wanted to distance themselves from his agency.
Wednesday, a self-described indie rock band, said they were “aghast” to see Wasserman feature in the Epstein files and did not want to continue to be associated with him.
They said that they hoped he would step down “for the sake of his staff”.
Rock band Beach Bunny said they were “hugely disappointed and disgusted” that Wasserman “had involvement with Ghislaine Maxwell”.
