Epstein associate and model recruiter Daniel Siad found dead in France
Epstein associate and model recruiter Daniel Siad found dead in France
Epstein associate and model recruiter Daniel Siad found dead in France
Daniel Siad, a modeling scout accused of procuring girls for convicted child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead in his home in Colombes, a suburb northwest of Paris. The 69-year-old's body was discovered on Monday, and an investigation into the cause of death has been opened, with an autopsy due to take place.
Siad's name appeared thousands of times in files linked to Epstein, and he had recently given media interviews denying any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of young women and girls. According to Marie-Céline Lawrysz, deputy public prosecutor at the Nanterre Judicial Court, Siad's exchanges with Epstein were often Siad sending Epstein photos and details about young girls he'd met and recruited as potential assistants or other workers for Epstein.
In a 2015 email, Siad sent Epstein a photo of a 16-year-old girl and her friend, and Epstein replied that the girls were "too old." Siad had also been accused of rape by multiple models, which he denied. "I have never raped anyone in my life," he told BFMTV in May.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed that Siad's body was discovered on Monday and said investigators are now working to establish how he died. French prosecutors have not disclosed the circumstances surrounding Siad's death beyond confirming that an investigation is under way.
Siad's death comes while he was under investigation in France following multiple complaints, including allegations of rape, all of which he denied. Lawyers representing several women who filed complaints said they were devastated that his death means he may never face questioning or trial, arguing it deprives victims of answers and justice.
A former model, who gave a deposition in June as part of the investigation, told the BBC that Siad's death represents a major piece of the Epstein mystery disappearing. "An important link in the chain has just vanished into thin air, without there even having been a chance to recover the information Daniel Siad might have possessed — given that he was never questioned," she said.
Siad had also recently spoken with CNN's Katie Polglase and denied ever having knowledge of Epstein's crimes despite introducing him to two girls who later accused Epstein of sexual abuse. "I trusted him and believed this guy was a professional person," Siad said. "I never heard anything from anyone I introduced to him who came back to me that they had a bad situation. I believed this guy is a professional person."
An Epstein survivor, identified only as Anya, previously said that Siad introduced her to Epstein. 'It was a complete set-up,' she said, describing Siad as 'essentially a professional trafficker'.
Lawyers representing alleged victims expressed frustration, arguing that the pace of the French investigation had prevented authorities from questioning Siad before his death. Anne-Claire Le Jeune, who is part of a legal team from the NGO Innocence en Danger that has pushed for a French investigation into Epstein since 2019, said victims had been denied an important opportunity to seek answers.
For investigators, the autopsy may answer how Daniel Siad died. For alleged victims hoping he would eventually face police questioning about his relationship with Epstein, however, another question may now remain unanswered. The case also echoes that of another Epstein associate, French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who died in a Paris prison in 2022 while awaiting trial. Brunel and Epstein both denied wrongdoing before their deaths, while Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 as he awaited federal sex trafficking charges.
