‘It felt like they were working for Epstein’: Former police chief makes explosive claim about Bush-era officials

Michael Reiter, the former Palm Beach Police Chief who spent years investigating the Jeffrey Epstein case, alleged that federal officials effectively derailed a stronger prosecution effort in 2007. He alleged that federal authorities under the then-President George W Bush stepped in and ultimately negotiated a plea agreement that undermined the effort to pursue more serious charges. In an appalling statement, Reiter says that "it felt like the people who work for our government were working more for Epstein than they were working for the victims and protecting the public.” A Miami Herald report by Julie K Brown explores the difficulties faced by Michael Reiter and Detective Recarey as they try to build a comprehensive, rock-solid case against Epstein.

Reiter said that they uncovered a vast network where minors with backpacks and braces were systematically brought to Epstein's El Brillo Way mansion. He claimed that by going after Epstein, he broke the unbreakable code of the Palm Beach community and is still paying the price. The report suggests that Reiter is still facing backlash as leading members of Congress hold the Miami Police responsible for a cover-up.

However, Reiter's narrative of the event is different; he said that after gathering evidence and interviewing over two dozen girls, he was “stonewalled by state prosecutors and attacked in the media” before being ostracised by federal prosecutors who took over the case. He said that at first, Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer said that with so much evidence and testimony, Epstein would be put away for good.

But soon, a powerhouse legal team, headed by some of the most aggressive lawyers in America, was assembled by Epstein. Epstein's friend and lawyer Alan Dershowitz, Krischer and the lead assistant state attorney, Lanna Belohlavek, launched an attack to shame the victims as gold diggers who were paid money by Epstein. They smoked marijuana, drank alcohol and talked about sex with boys.

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“These were children being victimised, and a person using his privilege and influence and power and the ability to hire all the best criminal attorneys in the country. To me, if you can’t protect children, your community can’t protect anybody,” said Reiter. Infuriated by the institutional cover-up, Chief Reiter wrote blistering public letters condemning the handling of the case.

Reiter then decided to meet Alex Acosta, who was then the U.S. attorney in Miami. He asked Acosta to do the needful. Acosta reportedly responded, “We have been receiving some guidance from the main justice, and (Epstein’s) defence attorneys have done a very effective job in stalling the case.” At that time, the Department of Justice was being held by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Epstein ultimately only pleaded guilty to one count of solicitation, despite law enforcement agencies having knowledge of as many as 40 potential victims. Acosta, who was later part of Trump's cabinet, said once, when being interviewed for the role of labour secretary, that he was asked to leave Epstein alone as "he belonged to intelligence".