Question
Who is Michael Reiter and what was his role in the Epstein case?
Answer
Michael Reiter was the Chief of the Palm Beach Police Department during the 2005-2008 Epstein investigation. He oversaw Detective Joseph Recarey’s investigation into Epstein and, uniquely among law enforcement officials, later became publicly critical of the outcome.
When the Palm Beach investigation concluded, Reiter forwarded the case to State Attorney Barry Krischer expecting serious prosecution. Krischer’s office instead brought limited charges, prompting Reiter to take the unusual step of referring the case directly to the FBI — bypassing the local prosecutor.
This dual referral (state and federal) reflected Reiter’s view that the evidence warranted far more serious prosecution than Krischer appeared willing to pursue. When the NPA was finalized in 2008, Reiter was critical of the outcome in interviews and public statements.
In 2008, after the NPA became public knowledge, Reiter wrote a public letter expressing his view that the deal had failed the victims and had not served justice. This letter was one of the first public official statements documenting dissatisfaction with the prosecution outcome.
Reiter’s vocal advocacy was an unusual example of a law enforcement official publicly criticizing both a state prosecutor and a federal plea outcome in a case where he had been an investigator — and it contributed to the public record that advocates later used to challenge the NPA.
Sources
- Palm Beach Police Department investigation records
- Michael Reiter’s public statements and letter, 2008
- Julie Brown, “Perversion of Justice” series, Miami Herald, 2018