A modelling scout whose name appeared thousands of times in the Jeffrey Epstein files has been found dead at his home in a Paris suburb. Daniel Siad, 69, was discovered on Monday in Colombes, northwest of the French capital, the Nanterre prosecutor’s office confirmed. An investigation to determine the cause of death has been opened, with an autopsy to be carried out. Preliminary information from French newspaper Le Parisien suggests Siad died of a cardiac arrest.
Siad, a French-Swedish national, had been under investigation in France as one of several men accused of aiding Epstein to traffic and abuse women. He faced rape allegations following the US Department of Justice’s release of declassified Epstein files in late January, in which his name appeared in more than 1,000 documents. Siad had not yet been questioned by investigators but had denied the allegations, insisting the convicted sex offender “took advantage of his trust”.
“Daniel Siad, 69, modelling scout linked to Epstein, found dead at home near Paris; autopsy ordered.”
In a July 2014 email exchange contained in the files, Siad likened his recruitment efforts to fishing. “In this busyness I feel like fisherman some time I cache quick, some time no fish,” he wrote to Epstein. He listed girls from Sweden, Slovakia, France and Russia, expressing frustration that Epstein had failed to turn up for a planned meeting. Epstein replied: “I will reimburse you of course for any expenses.”
Epstein victim Anya – not her real name – previously told the BBC that Siad had introduced her to Epstein. Siad’s lawyer had said ahead of a BBC investigation published on 18 July that his client was not available for comment, but Siad had previously denied knowledge of the threat Epstein posed.
The discovery of Siad’s death comes after other alleged accomplices died before facing trial. Modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was found dead at La Sante prison in Paris in 2022 while awaiting trial over allegations he procured women for Epstein. Epstein himself died in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting sex-trafficking charges. Dutch former model Thysia Huisman, who told police she was drugged and raped by Brunel, said at the time: “It makes me angry, because I’ve been fighting for years. For me, the end of this was to be in court. And now that whole ending – which would help form closure – is taken away from me.”
Siad’s death leaves unanswered questions for victims seeking accountability. The Nanterre prosecutor’s office continues its investigation.
