Daniel Siad, Epstein-linked scout, found dead near Paris
Daniel Siad, a French model recruiter who introduced young women to Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead at his home in Colombes near Paris on Monday, prosecutors said. An autopsy will determine the cause of death. His name appeared thousands of times in US Justice Department Epstein files.
Key Takeaways
- Daniel Siad, 69, was found dead Monday at his house in Colombes, a Paris suburb, the Nanterre prosecutor's office said.
- An investigation into the cause of death opened Monday evening, and an autopsy is planned.
- Siad spent more than a decade arranging for Epstein to meet models and denied knowing women were abused.
- His name appears thousands of times in US Department of Justice Epstein files; a Paris probe was reviewing information linked to him.
- Lawyers for complainants said his death came before he could be questioned, limiting victims' pursuit of answers.
What happened to Daniel Siad?
Daniel Siad's body was discovered on Monday in Colombes, northwest of Paris. Marie-Céline Lawrysz, deputy public prosecutor at the Nanterre Judicial Court, confirmed the find to CNN.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office told the BBC an investigation to determine the cause of death opened Monday evening after the discovery. Officials said an autopsy will be carried out. No cause of death has been announced.
Coverage of the case continues across crime and public-interest reporting, including related analysis in Future Tech & AI Wonders on BlasterPost.
How was Daniel Siad linked to Jeffrey Epstein?
Siad was a professional model scout who, for over a decade, arranged for Epstein to meet multiple models, according to CNN. Files released by the US Department of Justice show Epstein paid tens of thousands of dollars to Siad.
His name appears more than 2,000 times in those files, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported. The BBC similarly said Siad's name appeared thousands of times in Epstein files released by the US government.
In messages cited by CNN, Siad sent Epstein photos and descriptions of young women and once wrote he was seeking a "good looking young assistant" for Epstein. In one exchange, Epstein replied "Too old" after Siad described a woman as having potential as a model or assistant.
An Epstein victim using the pseudonym Anya told the BBC that Siad introduced her to Epstein and called him "essentially a professional trafficker."
What did Daniel Siad say, and what happens next?
In a recent CNN interview, Siad said he trusted Epstein and believed he was a professional. He said he had no reason to believe two women he recommended—who told CNN Epstein had abused them—had been harmed. He claimed Epstein assured him crimes from a 2008 conviction "would never happen with anybody" Siad referred.
Siad said he believed Epstein was a casting director for Victoria's Secret and modeling agency MC2; CNN found no evidence for that claim. He had denied knowledge of the threat Epstein posed, the BBC reported.
Siad faced accusations of abuse in France, including a rape allegation from a model about work in 1990; he denied wrongdoing. Epstein's modeling-industry ties remain under investigation, including a criminal probe launched this year in Paris reviewing information related to Siad, CNN reported.
Anne-Claire Le Jeune of Innocence en Danger told the BBC victims were deprived of a chance to see him questioned. A former model who gave a June police deposition said an important link had "vanished" before information could be recovered.