CHAPTER 40 Michael Reiter: January 2006 As far as Michael Reiter’s concerned, the case that his team has built against Epstein-slowly, meticulously, over the course of an entire year-is airtight. Even now, Detective Recarey’s finding new pieces of evidence. And already Reiter’s been laying the groundwork with prosecutors. State attorney Barry Krischer has a reputation for toughness. He’s known, nationally, for his prosecution of juvenile offenders. And Reiter’s been keeping him abreast of the investigation. With Jeffrey Epstein, it’s not simply a matter of seeing him punished. It’s a matter of getting a sexual predator off the streets of Palm Beach. Krischer assures the chief that he’s taking this case very seriously. The state attorney’s office will have Reiter’s back at every turn. “I told him that we had an investigation that was very serious 159 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008988¶
JAMES PATTERSON that involved a very noteworthy person and that involved a number of underage females,” Reiter would say in his deposition for the suit that was later settled by Epstein. “That it was of a sexual nature. I was concerned that we had not reached all of the victims, and we hadn’t, I’m sure, at this point. I told him that I felt like the suspect would probably become aware of the investigation at some point and that we should probably expect some contact from…Mr. Epstein’s lawyers. And I told him that I wanted to keep him very well informed on this and that I hoped that he would do the same. And that we would have to have more contact in making sure it was handled responsibly, intelligently, and appropriately as it moved forward.” Reiter would say that Epstein’s name did not seem to ring a bell with the state attorney. But shortly afterward, the chief became aware that in certain powerful circles his investigation was being looked upon unfavorably. “I had many people-related conversations…on the cocktail-party circuit that suggested we approach this in a way that wasn’t necessary,” he would say. Michael Reiter was a good cop. A good man. But he was about to discover that when it came to men with the power and influence Epstein wielded, fairness under the law was a relative, malleable concept. Detective Recarey: Feb For months, Joe Reca been brought to Eps and car-rental records according to a source withi would identify forty-seven on El Brillo Way. Recarey interviewed or David Rogers, as well as Eps He also spoke to a woman v It turned out that Epste actual Swedish deep-tissue for him and his friends, ti them. Did anything untoward Epstein ever asked the wom 160 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008989¶
ATTERSON person and that involved a num- r would say in his deposition for / Epstein. “That it was of a sexual ve had not reached all of the vicat this point. I told him that I felt ly become aware of the investigashould probably expect some convers. And I told him that I wanted d on this and that I hoped that he we would have to have more condled responsibly, intelligently, and vard.” tein’s name did not seem to ring a . But shortly afterward, the chief 1 powerful circles his investigation vorably. “I had many people-related tail-party circuit that suggested we vasn’t necessary,” he would say. d cop. A good man. But he was about e to men with the power and influss under the law was a relative, mal- 160 CHAPTER 41 Detective Recarey: February 2006 F or months, Joe Recarey’s been interviewing girls who’d been brought to Epstein’s house, subpoenaing telephone and car-rental records, conducting surveillance. Ultimately, according to a source within the Palm Beach PD, the department would identify forty-seven underage girls who’d been molested on El Brillo Way. Recarey interviewed one of Epstein’s pilots, a man named David Rogers, as well as Epstein’s houseman, Alfredo Rodriguez. He also spoke to a woman who really was a massage therapist. It turned out that Epstein paid just one hundred dollars for actual Swedish deep-tissue massages that the therapist provided for him and his friends, the lawyer Alan Dershowitz among them. Did anything untoward ever happen? Recarey asked. Had Epstein ever asked the woman to rub his chest? 161 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008990¶
JAMES PATTERSON No, she told him. She wasn’t Epstein’s type. The girls she’d seen at his house were very thin and beautiful and did not have tattoos. This massage therapist had several tattoos that were visible, and on quite a few occasions Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had made negative comments about them. According to a Palm Beach Police Department Incident Report filed by Recarey on July 25, 2006, the detective had also heard from Mary’s father, who said that a private eye had been to his house, photographing his family and chasing visitors away. Mary’s dad had gotten the license plate-Florida E79-4EG. Recarey traced it back to one Ivan Robles of West Palm Beach. Robles turned out to be a licensed private investigator. Recarey informed the state’s attorney’s office. Alison also contacted Recarey and told him that she’d been approached by someone who was in touch with Epstein. Alison had been told that she’d receive money if she would refuse to cooperate with the police. Those who help him will be compensated, she was told, according to Detective Recarey’s incident report. “And those who hurt him will be dealt with.” Recarey reassured the girl and told her that tampering with a witness in a case like this was a serious, arrestable offense. Then he told an assistant state attorney. The detective was leaving no i undotted and no t uncrossed. But he did wonder if the state attorney’s office itself had become part of the problem. 162 Barry Krischer: April S tate attorney Barry 1 before taking his post in and around Palm 1992 and 1996, he had run and 2004. During the cou 1970 with a three-year sti Brooklyn, he received a nu from the Legal Aid Society with the juvenile justice sy protection team; the Peace nor Jeb Bush, for his work time achievement award fi member of the National D: was not necessarily averse In 2003, he launched an in HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008991¶
TERSON Epstein’s type. The girls she’d and beautiful and did not have ad several tattoos that were visis Epstein and Ghislaine Max- :s about them. lice Department Incident Report 6, the detective had also heard it a private eye had been to his and chasing visitors away. ense plate-Florida E79-4EG. Ivan Robles of West Palm Beach. d private investigator. attorney’s office. ey and told him that she’d been is in touch with Epstein. Alison 2 money if she would refuse to be compensated, she was told, incident report. “And those who nd told her that tampering with a serious, arrestable offense. te attorney. )i undotted and no t uncrossed. state attorney’s office itself had 162 CHAPTER 42 Barry Krischer: April 2006 S tate attorney Barry Krischer was an elected official, but before taking his post, he’d been a lawyer in private practice in and around Palm Beach. Elected twice to his office, in 1992 and 1996, he had run unopposed for state attorney in 2000 and 2004. During the course of his long career, which began in 1970 with a three-year stint in the district attorney’s office in Brooklyn, he received a number of awards: the pro bono award from the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County for his service with the juvenile justice system and for his work with the child protection team; the Peace at Home award, presented by Governor Jeb Bush, for his work with victims of family violence; a lifetime achievement award from the Florida Bar. He was a board member of the National District Attorneys Association. And he was not necessarily averse to going after the rich and powerful. In 2003, he launched an investigation into Rush Limbaugh’s use 163 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008992¶
JAMES PATTERSON of, and means of obtaining, oxycodone and hydrocodone. (A few years after Limbaugh’s arrest, which coincided with Chief Reiter’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, the talk-show host settled with prosecutors, agreed to submit to random drug testing, and gave up his firearms permit.) Krischer himself, however, had been accused of sexual misconduct. In October of 1992, Jodi Bergeron, a legal secretary who’d worked for Krischer, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him in the Palm Beach County circuit court. That suit was dismissed, but a few months later, the woman took Krischer to federal court, accusing him of making unwanted advances and demanding recompense for battery, negligence, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress. Krischer had placed his hands, violently, inside her blouse, the woman said. He’d forcibly fondled her breasts, forcibly kissed her, and rubbed her shoulders while brushing her buttocks with his hands and knees, all while accompanying the gestures with verbal advances. When she declined those advances, the woman claimed, Krischer fired her. Krischer denied the allegations. At the time, he was making his first run for the state attorney’s office. The charges were politically motivated, he said. Members of a local chapter of NOW-the National Organization for Women-had stood by the lawyer, citing his efforts to stop domestic violence, among his other virtues. “I am here to support Barry Krischer for the work his office did in my daughter’s case,” one woman said during a rally that took place in front of the courthouse. “Her murderer received the maximum sentence, a life sentence.” The second lawsuit had also been dismissed-after Krischer’s former law firm agreed sand dollars in legal fees Now Chief Reiter and D their own questions abc wanted to charge Epstein behavior and four cour minor-felony charges behind bars in the case c Kellen would be charged This was not the plai for Jeffrey Epstein. In cases involving th attorneys tend to have s But instead of granting t the police that he would asked to consider a broac In a case such as Epste ing in and of itself. But v only required in capital cas may also be called in c involving crimes committ wasn’t a public official, an cerned, the only controver that Epstein was rich an B.B. vs. Epstein, Chief Reitecuto had to make sure t able doubt. And Krischer of the young women who’c 164 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_008993¶