Detective Reiter’s testimony hints at possible Epstein influence on Palm Beach police funding and investigation

ERSON tice. yout complaints they'd gotten ien hanging around at the end g at all hours from Epstein’s to that,” Reiter said in a depo- uit, brought by a victim, that we may have encountered one ne a little bit of surveillance or r or not they had seen that. I ystanding that, yes, there were coming and going from Mr. 1 inquiry, and we were of the nd [we] were also of the belief aere could be prostitution. But I g that we heavily pursued— >s; its common everywhere in hey were underage at that point, tin it.” nplaints on the day Epstein had gnation. And when Reiter had -ouldn't help but notice the tall, a had brought with him to the - she was standing so stiffly, eyes were afraid to speak. Not a kid. tein did not introduce or even ;, too, seemed odd. man was Nadia Marcinkova, 4 32 Fittyy RicH nineteen-year-old beauty who lived at Epstein’s home and was described, by another girl, in a recorded interview with Detec- tive Recarey, as one of Epstein’s “like, slaves.” In September, several months into the investigation, Epstein calls Reiter directly and asks: Has Palm Beach bought the fire- arms simulator yet? Cautiously, Reiter tells him that they’re still doing research. If the department needs more funds, Epstein says, he'll be happy to provide them. Reiter thanks him graciously and hangs up. But he’s certain now that Epstein knows about the investigation. Thinking about Epstein’s crimes in Palm Beach makes him shudder. And, Reiter knows, if the charges are true, things are going to get ugly and public. Cops like Reiter are family men, fathers. Some see so much that they’re no longer surprised by the ways of the world. Still, it helps to hold on to a natural capacity for outrage. Thefts are easy to understand: you see something you need, so you take it. Even murders make a kind of sense once you understand the motiva- tion. There’s great satisfaction in catching a murderer. But what Epstein’s been up to is hard to explain. Who is this guy? Reiter’s detectives will have to get into Epstein’s head. To nail him, they'll have to know him. And to do that, they'll have to get to know the people around him. The police already know about Wendy. That’s one procurer, but out of how many? What kind of person would bring children to a child molester? 33 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019149