Daniel Siad, a modeling scout with connections to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead at his residence near Paris, as confirmed by prosecutors on Wednesday.
Siad’s body was located on Monday evening. An autopsy will be conducted to ascertain the cause of death, according to the Nanterre prosecutor’s office. His name appeared nearly 2,000 times in documents released by the U.S. Justice Department concerning Epstein.
French media reports indicate that at least five women accused the 69-year-old Siad of rape and human trafficking, claims which he denied. Siad’s attorney stated in an email to Reuters that he was never subject to formal judicial processes.
In France, individuals are officially placed under investigation only after a preliminary inquiry indicates reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. Siad had asserted to French broadcaster BFM in May that his interactions with Epstein were entirely professional.
“Daniel Siad always maintained his innocence,” his lawyer, Meyna Arab-Tigrine, stated, adding that Siad had died from a heart attack.
Siad is the second individual publicly associated with Epstein to die in France. Modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested in 2020 on charges related to the procurement of women for Epstein. Brunel was later found hanged in his jail cell in 2022, having spent 14 months in custody awaiting trial on accusations of rape of minors and sexual harassment. He denied all charges, as did Epstein, who passed away in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
