Who Is Keith Wasserman? CEO Offers To 'Pay Any Amount' for Someone To Protect His Home Amid LA Fires

Millionaire Los Angeles CEO, Keith Wasserman, sparked outrage after reportedly offering to pay private firefighters "any amount" to protect his luxury home during the Palisades wildfire. Many residents criticised the move, accusing him of "hogging resources" while others watched their homes succumb to the flames.

Wasserman is the co-founder of Gelt Venture Partners, a real estate investment firm. He established Gelt, Inc. in 2008 during the recession and financial crisis. According to the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, Wasserman has overseen the acquisition of over £2.43 billion ($3 billion) in multifamily and self-storage properties across the Western United States.

Who Is Keith Wasserman?

A 2007 graduate of the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, Wasserman serves on the Executive Committee of the USC Lusk Center. He also leads Gelt's philanthropic efforts and co-founded The Resident Relief Foundation with Damian Langere.

This 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation is dedicated to assisting renters facing eviction due to unforeseen financial hardships. He is also a member of prominent organisations such as the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Tiger 21, and the Milken Institute Young Leaders Council.

Wasserman actively uses his LinkedIn profile to connect with potential investors, encouraging them to explore investment opportunities that can strengthen their portfolios. He frequently shares his entrepreneurial philosophy on the platform, recently quoting, 'Success is built on delusional optimism, paranoia, and an inability to quit.'

Wasserman Under Fire for 'Tone-Deaf' Firefighting Offer

Wasserman, who previously called for cutting property taxes, posted the controversial offer to hire private firefighters on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday while the rapidly spreading blaze ravaged the area. 'Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in Pacific Palisades? Need to act fast here. All neighbours houses burning. Will pay any amount. Thank you,' he wrote.

His X post ignited a firestorm of criticism, with one observer, Sam Vance, commenting, 'Incredible nerve. His family is evacuated and he's trying to hire private firefighters to risk their lives to save a home he most certainly has insured. Incredibly tone deaf.'

'So you're suggesting that potentially lifesaving resources (even if "private") should be diverted to save your house because you're rich while tens of thousands of people try to evacuate?' wrote a critic, who goes by Renny.

'If you find yourself tweeting for private firefighters to protect your property, you should probably question what you have become as a human being,' another commenter, Jacquie, wrote.

X user Manish Kapoor wrote: 'A tone-deaf, public display of 'rich privilege', in a time of community crisis, is a curious choice, but ok.' Another user, Kun, wrote: 'This reminds me of the Morning Show - where the rich guy gets crap for hiring people to defend his own house while everyone else's burns down.'

Wasserman Defends Offer

Wasserman, whose post garnered over 900,000 views, responded to the criticism by stating that he had evacuated 'hours ago' and emphasised that his intention was solely to protect homes. 'Mama, I'm going viral!' he wrote before deleting the tweet.

Wasserman later added: 'So here are all the trolls! Hello trolls!' He appears to have deactivated his X account in response to the intense backlash.

Mass Evacuations As US Wildfires Rage

The massive blaze has forced tens of thousands of residents to be evacuated, some of whom were compelled to abandon their vehicles and flee on foot as roads became impassable.

California governor Gavin Newsom confirmed that numerous structures have been destroyed in Pacific Palisades, though the exact number remains unknown. Approximately 30,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, and over 13,000 structures are currently threatened.

While private firefighting companies played a role in battling wildfires in California vineyards in 2021, their actions drew scrutiny. Authorities intervened, detaining some firefighters for allegedly setting dangerous backfires and disregarding evacuation orders.