Florida-Based Owner Allegedly Stole 4 Million Pounds of Citrus
FLORIDA - Yes, Florida citrus is delicious, but is it worth going to jail over?
A Florida man, Bradley D. Reiter, allegedly stole 4 million pounds of citrus, the state’s Department of Agriculture announced—more than $530,000 worth of produce.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam said Reiter, owner of Reiter Citrus Inc., allegedly signed three contracts to harvest local citrus groves as of March 2014, but never actually paid for any of the produce he removed from the groves.
According to the department's investigation, Reiter was found to do the following:
- Entered into contract with Gabriel Family Partners to purchase citrus and removed 13,108 boxes of oranges between March 20 and April 16, 2014 without paying the business for the fruit or its rise value.
- Entered into contract with Gabriel Groves Inc. to purchase citrus and removed 1,599 boxes of grapefruit and 20,468 boxes of oranges between March 26 and April 28, 2014 without paying the business for the fruit or its rise value.
- Entered into contract with Sandlake Groves LLC to purchase citrus and removed 10,907 boxes of oranges between April 29 and May 14, 2014 without paying the business for the fruit or its rise value.
- Entered a grove owned by a Bartow, Florida, resident without permission and removed of 180 boxes of citrus. Reiter Citrus Inc. then provided the resident with a check that only represented half of the actual value of the fruit.
- Entered into a written agreement with a Bartow, Florida, resident to purchase citrus and removed 570 boxes of citrus fruit without paying the business for the fruit or its rise value.
It was not immediately clear what happened to the 4 million pounds of fruit, but Reiter was reportedly booked into Polk County Jail on suspicion of grand theft, dealing with citrus without a license, and scheming to defraud.
