Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino Calls on Casey Wasserman to Step Down Over Emails Revealed in Epstein Files
Bethany Cosentino, the frontwoman of Los Angeles indie band Best Coast, is calling for Casey Wasserman, the founder and CEO of Wasserman Music, to step down following the release of documents linking him to convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
In an open letter posted to Instagram late Thursday, Cosentino said Wasserman’s appearance in the so-called Epstein files has made it impossible for artists to continue business as usual. She noted that she has been represented by Wasserman Music since the agency expanded into music representation in 2021.
The documents include email correspondence from 2003 between Wasserman and Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in the sex trafficking operation tied to Jeffrey Epstein and sentenced to 20 years in prison. While the emails were described as flirtatious — including one message asking Maxwell what it would take to see her “in a tight leather outfit” — they do not allege criminal wrongdoing by Wasserman.
After the emails surfaced earlier this week, Wasserman issued a public apology, expressing regret for the correspondence and stating that it occurred more than two decades ago, before Maxwell’s crimes were publicly known. He also said he never had a personal or business relationship with Epstein, though he acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s plane in 2002 as part of a delegation with the Clinton Foundation.
Cosentino said the apology fell short.
“Regret without accountability is just damage control,” she wrote, arguing that artists are repeatedly expected to accept scandals involving powerful industry figures while bearing the professional fallout themselves. She announced that she has requested the removal of her and Best Coast’s name from the Wasserman Music website and called for Wasserman to step down and for the company to change its name.
“Artists are tired of swallowing scandals like this,” Cosentino wrote. “We are tired of watching harm minimized or brushed off as ‘a long time ago,’ while the impact of that harm is still very real — especially for women and survivors of sexual assault.”
Wasserman, who also serves as chairman of the organizing committee for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, is now facing growing political pressure as well. Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles County supervisor and member of the Olympic committee, told the Los Angeles Times that Wasserman should resign from the role.
“Having him represent us on the world stage distracts focus from our athletes and the enormous effort needed to prepare for 2028,” Hahn said.
Representatives for Wasserman and Wasserman Music did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Cosentino’s letter.
