Daniel Siad, the modeling scout from Algeria who was both a Swedish and French citizen and who was identified as a suspected recruiter for Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead in his home in Colombes outside Paris. The 69-year-old man gained particular attention after his name appeared in documents linked to Epstein that were later made public. French authorities have now launched an investigation to determine the cause of death.
According to French media BFMTV and Le Parisien, Siad was found lifeless in his home on Monday evening. A woman who was temporarily staying at the residence is said to have discovered him in the kitchen and alerted those nearby.
Despite emergency services quickly arriving at the scene and attempts to resuscitate him, his life could not be saved. The prosecutor’s office in Nanterre has confirmed that an investigation into the death has begun and that an autopsy will be conducted.
French media have reported that it may have been a cardiac arrest, but no official cause of death has been established yet.
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Daniel Siad was born in Algeria and later became a Swedish and French citizen. For many years, he worked in the modeling industry as a so-called scout, where his job was to find new models. His name gained international attention after the so-called Epstein files—documents made public by the U.S. Department of Justice—became accessible to the public.
According to BFMTV, Siad’s name appears 2,090 times in these materials. He was suspected of acting as a contact person for Jeffrey Epstein and reportedly brokered contacts between young women and the American financier over several years. The activities are said to have involved, among other places, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Morocco, South Africa, and Cuba.
Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier who, for many years, built up a network where young women and minors were subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation. He was arrested in July 2019 and charged in the United States, including with sex trafficking of minors.
Before any trial could take place, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in New York in August 2019. The death was officially classified as a suicide, but the circumstances surrounding his death have continued to attract significant attention and debate. After his death, several documents and details about his contacts have been made public through legal processes and investigations.
Admitted Contacts with Epstein
In an interview with BFMTV earlier this year, Daniel Siad admitted that he had contact with Epstein and that he had introduced young women to him. At the same time, he denied knowing about Epstein’s criminal activities.
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Siad stated that Epstein had introduced himself as someone connected to the modeling industry and that their relationship was purely professional.
– Every time, I introduced models to him and then left the location together with the models. I only had a professional relationship with him. I don’t know anything about his private life, Siad said previously.
Five Women Accused Him
At the same time, Daniel Siad faced serious allegations from several women. Five women had filed police reports accusing him of rape and sexual abuse.
One of the women is the Swedish model Ebba Karlsson, who stated that she was raped by Siad in Cannes in 1990 after he offered her an opportunity for an international modeling career. Siad denied all accusations against him.
– I have never raped anyone in my entire life, he told BFMTV.
He also said that he wanted the opportunity to respond to the accusations before the legal system. According to BFMTV, however, he was never questioned by investigators before his death.