Background
Michael Reiter served as Chief of Police of Palm Beach, Florida during the period of the Epstein investigation (20052008). Under his leadership, the Palm Beach Police Department conducted one of the most thorough initial investigations into Epstein’s conduct.
The Investigation Under Reiter
When a parent reported concerns about her daughter in 2005, Reiter assigned Detective Joseph Recarey to investigate. Reiter supported a full investigative effort that included:
- Identifying and interviewing dozens of victims
- Conducting surveillance and search operations
- Accumulating physical evidence from Epstein’s Palm Beach property
- Documenting the systematic recruitment network
The State-Level Obstruction
When the case was referred to Palm Beach State Attorney Barry Krischer, Reiter was alarmed by what he perceived as inadequate prosecution. His department believed Krischer’s office was not pursuing charges proportionate to the evidence.
The FBI Referral
In an extraordinary move, Reiter bypassed the state prosecution and personally wrote to the FBI in April 2006, referring the case directly to federal authorities. This letterlater made public through litigationis credited with keeping the federal case alive when it might have died at the state level.
Legacy
Reiter has given public statements expressing frustration with how the case was handled. His willingness to escalate over the heads of state prosecutors who seemed unwilling to aggressively charge Epstein represents one of the few examples of institutional actors functioning as intended.