The Police Referral
Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter formally referred the Epstein case to the FBI in 2006 after concluding the state case was being inadequately handled. The referral invoked the FBI’s jurisdiction over interstate trafficking and federal sex crimes.
Federal Jurisdiction Basis
The FBI’s jurisdiction rested on:
- Interstate travel in furtherance of criminal activity
- The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA)
- Potential violation of statutes requiring registration in multiple states
The SDFL Coordination
The FBI worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (Acosta’s office). This coordination ultimately produced the negotiated NPA rather than a traditional federal prosecution.
The 2019 Investigation
Following the Miami Herald investigation, the SDNY’s FBI office reopened case review. The 2019 prosecution was an SDNY (not SDFL) investigation, which allowed it to proceed independently of the 2008 NPA.
The FBI’s Limitations
Critics have questioned why the FBI did not pursue a more aggressive independent investigation in 2006-2008, rather than deferring to Acosta’s negotiated outcome. The Bureau has not publicly addressed this question comprehensively.