French authorities have launched an investigation into the death of Daniel Siad, a modeling scout whose name appeared in recently released court records related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Siad was found dead in the kitchen of his home in Colombes, a suburb of Paris. According to the Nanterre prosecutor’s office, a neighbour attempted to resuscitate him before emergency services arrived, but he could not be revived.
Prosecutors said an autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death.
Siad’s name appeared more than 1,000 times in documents released this month by the US Department of Justice. The records indicate he was in regular contact with Epstein for more than a decade and allegedly sent him photographs, measurements and profiles of young women from across Europe under the guise of modeling recruitment.
French prosecutors have recently opened a separate investigation into Epstein’s European network and associates.
Several former models have filed criminal complaints against Siad, accusing him of rape, sexual assault and recruiting women for international trafficking networks. Among the complainants is Swedish model Ebba Karlsson.
Siad denied the allegations in interviews with French television outlets earlier this year, saying he had committed no crimes and had no knowledge of any trafficking activities. He maintained that his communications with Epstein were limited to casting work for modeling agencies.
Siad’s death has drawn comparisons with that of Jean-Luc Brunel, a prominent French modeling agent and Epstein associate, who was found dead in his Paris prison cell in 2022 while awaiting trial on charges related to the trafficking of minors.