Daniel Siad, French Model Scout Who Supplied Epstein With Young Women, Found Dead Near Paris

Daniel Siad, a 69-year-old French model scout who had long-standing ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead at his home in Colombes, a suburb near Paris, on Monday evening. The news was confirmed on Wednesday by deputy public prosecutor Marie-Céline Lawrysz of the Nanterre Judicial Court. Officials have not yet said what caused his death. An autopsy has been ordered to find out.

Who Was Daniel Siad?

For about 30 years, Siad worked as a scout in the modeling industry. He said he met Epstein in the early 2000s and worked with him for more than 15 years, connecting him to roughly a dozen models. Siad always described this relationship as purely professional.

His name showed up more than 2,000 times in documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. According to reporting on those files, Siad often sent Epstein photos of young women he met while traveling, sometimes describing them as potential models or assistants. Investigators believe at least one of the women mentioned was only 15 years old, and others were under 18.

Records also suggest Epstein paid Siad large sums of money over the years, and that Siad kept working with him even after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes. Siad later said Epstein had convinced him that he had already paid for his past mistakes and would not offend again.

Accusations Against Him

Siad was never arrested, but he was under investigation in France for rape and human trafficking. He denied all of the accusations.

At least five women publicly accused him of wrongdoing. One of them, Swedish former model Ebba Karlsson, filed a complaint earlier this year alleging that Siad raped her decades ago, when she was 20. She said the process of seeking justice had been long and difficult, and expressed frustration that his death happened just as he was close to being formally arrested.

Another woman, a French former model who asked not to be named, said Siad had introduced her to Epstein in 2004. She said his death removed another possible source of answers about what really happened.

An Epstein survivor previously told the BBC that Siad had essentially acted as a professional trafficker, arranging her introduction to Epstein.

His Response to the Allegations

Siad consistently denied any wrongdoing. He said he trusted Epstein and never heard that anyone he introduced to him had a bad experience. He also claimed, without evidence, that Epstein worked as a casting director for major modeling and fashion brands.

His lawyer, Menya Arab-Tigrine, said Siad had maintained his innocence until the end and had been willing to face public scrutiny to tell his side of the story. She suggested that the stress of the ongoing investigation may have contributed to his death, if it turns out to have been a heart attack.

Part of a Bigger Pattern

Siad is the second man connected to Epstein to die suddenly in France. In 2022, modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel died by suicide in a French prison while facing charges of raping minors and sexual harassment tied to Epstein's network. Epstein himself died in a US jail in 2019, also ruled a suicide by authorities, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Paris chief prosecutor Laure Beccuau said earlier this year that Siad was one of several people who could have faced questioning as part of a wider investigation into Epstein's associates. Following his death, she said the investigation into everyone linked to the case would continue.

So far, about 20 women have come forward or been identified through the broader French investigation into Epstein's network, which began in February. Investigators say they had not yet gathered enough evidence to arrest Siad before he died.

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