Jeffrey Epstein-Linked Model Scout Found Dead Before Investigators Could Question Him

Daniel Siad, a longtime model scout whose communications with Jeffrey Epstein placed him under renewed scrutiny, has been found dead before French investigators could formally question him.

The 69-year-old was discovered at his home in Colombes, a suburb northwest of Paris, on Monday. His death comes as French authorities investigate allegations that he helped connect young women to Epstein and committed sexual offenses himself, claims Siad repeatedly denied.

An autopsy has been ordered, and authorities have not officially determined his cause or manner of death.

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Marie-Céline Lawrysz, deputy public prosecutor at the Nanterre Judicial Court, confirmed Siad’s death in a statement to CNN. French authorities opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death after his body was discovered. A post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause.

French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Siad may have suffered cardiac arrest, but the prosecutor’s office has not yet confirmed that as his official cause of death.

At this stage, authorities have not announced evidence of foul play, and any claims about the circumstances of Siad’s death would be premature. His attorney, Ménya Arab-Tigrine, said investigators must wait for the autopsy before reaching conclusions. “We must await the autopsy results to confirm whether his body simply gave out,” the attorney said.

Siad’s Name Appeared Thousands Of Times In The Epstein Files

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Siad’s relationship with Epstein stretched across more than a decade and involved repeated efforts to introduce the disgraced financier to models and other young women. According to BFMTV, Siad’s name appears more than 2,000 times in documents released by the United States Department of Justice.

The records contain photographs, travel discussions, financial payments, and messages about women Siad encountered while working internationally. “Cute French girl in Marrakesh… She said that she will (be) happy to meet you,” Siad wrote to Epstein in one message. He also helped search for a personal assistant for Epstein. In a 2018 email, he wrote that he was looking for a “good looking young assistant.”

Another exchange showed Siad sending Epstein a photograph of a woman he described as “very polite” and someone with “potential” as a “model” or “assistant.”

“Too old,” Epstein replied.

The DOJ records also show that Epstein paid Siad tens of thousands of dollars.

Siad Claimed Jeffrey Epstein Deceived Him

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Siad acknowledged introducing women to Epstein but maintained that he did not know they were at risk. During a recent interview with CNN investigative reporter Katie Polglase, Siad said he believed Epstein was connected to Victoria’s Secret and MC2 Model Management as a casting director. CNN found no evidence supporting that claim.

“I trusted him and believed this guy was a professional person,” Siad said in the interview published in June. “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.”

Siad continued associating with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction on sex-related charges. He claimed Epstein assured him he had served his punishment and that “this would never happen with anybody,” Siad said.

The continued relationship became a major point of scrutiny. Even after Epstein became a registered sex offender, Siad and other modeling-industry figures reportedly invited him to fashion events and explored potential business ventures with him.

Siad’s attorney maintained that his client wanted to cooperate and defend himself publicly. Arab-Tigrine said Siad was willing to “subject himself to the grueling media spotlight…to see the truth come to light,” adding that Siad had not been prosecuted or “formally implicated in any legal proceedings” and died legally innocent.

Models Accused Siad Of Connecting Them To Epstein

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At least two women whom Siad reportedly introduced to Epstein later told CNN that the financier abused them. Russian-born model Svetlana Pozhidaeva said Siad’s introduction changed the course of her life. “If it wasn’t for him, my life would have unfolded completely differently,” Pozhidaeva told CNN following news of his death.

She expressed frustration that Siad can no longer be questioned or potentially held accountable through the French judicial system. “I wanted for justice to be served, for there to be some kind of investigation and achieve some closure,” she said.

His Death Leaves Questions In The French Epstein Investigation

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Siad died as Paris prosecutors were examining the French branch of Epstein’s international network, including the role modeling professionals may have played in identifying and introducing women to him. Although the investigation included information connected to Siad, French authorities had reportedly not yet formally questioned him.

Siad is the second prominent modeling-industry figure linked to Epstein to die in France before the allegations against him could be fully adjudicated. Jean-Luc Brunel, the French modeling agent who founded MC2 with financial backing from Epstein, died by suicide in a Paris jail in 2022 while awaiting trial. Brunel denied wrongdoing.

Epstein also died by suicide in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.