Mr. Reiber, who was born in Poland and moved to Edmonton with his parents as a child during the Great Depression, graduated law school from the University of Alberta. He was called to the bar in 1953 and within two years, had moved to Toronto with his first wife, Florence.
“Max Citron was the one with the money and he got them hooked into real estate,” Ms. Zur said. It was her understanding that Mr. Citron was related to Mr. Reiber’s wife, Florence. Just a year later, Mr. Reiber, Mr. Citron and Mr. Newman were sued again in connection with Tops locations in Peterborough and Belleville, this time by some of their partners, Sam Mandle, Charles Wener and Macks Pearlman. The trio alleged that Mr. Reiber, Mr. Citron and Mr. Newman had defrauded them out of at least $64,147 – the equivalent of around half a million dollars today. The case was settled out of court for an unknown amount.
She remembers Mr. Reiber as charismatic, funny and someone who commanded attention. Physically he was a large man, tall and broad.