Daniel Siad, a 69-year-old modeling scout whose name appears repeatedly in the declassified Jeffrey Epstein files, was found dead on Monday at his home in Colombes, a suburb northwest of Paris. French prosecutors have opened an inquiry and ordered an autopsy to determine how he died. Siad had been the subject of multiple complaints in France alleging he recruited young women for Epstein. He denied any wrongdoing and had not been formally charged.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office said an investigation to determine the cause of death was opened Monday evening after the discovery of Siad's body and confirmed that an autopsy will be carried out, according to The Local. Officials have released very few additional details while forensic tests move forward.
Siad had been under mounting scrutiny in France since new batches of Epstein-related documents were made public and several women came forward with complaints. His lawyer said he had not been formally questioned by authorities before his death, as reported by Cleveland.com. Victims' advocates say the timing of his death will make it harder to get answers.
French outlets including Le Parisien reported that Siad was discovered by a 28-year-old woman who was staying with him and that a neighbor attempted CPR before emergency crews arrived. Initial accounts pointed to a possible cardiac arrest, details that prosecutors insist must be confirmed or ruled out by the post-mortem, according to reporting compiled by TRT Français. The prosecutor's office said the judicial police in Hauts-de-Seine are handling the investigation.
What the files show
Siad's name appears across hundreds, and by some counts thousands, of entries in the documents released by United States authorities. His correspondence with Epstein includes messages about scouting trips, reimbursements and photos of young women, according to an analysis of the material by The Guardian. Those exchanges helped prompt several models to come forward and contributed to the opening of related inquiries in France earlier this year.
Siad's comments and industry ties
In television and print interviews, Siad insisted that his dealings with Epstein were purely business. He told CNN investigators, "My work with him has been strictly professional," while also acknowledging that he had introduced women to Epstein. Reporting by CNN, which reviewed the correspondence and payments between the two men, says the documents show tens of thousands of dollars moving to Siad, a detail investigators are using to map how the network operated.
Legal fallout and next steps
Under French criminal practice, proceedings against an individual generally end when that person dies. That legal reality complicates the hopes of complainants who wanted to see Siad tried in court. Prosecutors can still pursue possible accomplices or open inquiries "contre X" against unknown persons, and lawyers for several women say they want the investigation broadened rather than closed, according to reporting compiled by Info.fr and other French outlets.
Siad's death echoes the 2022 death in custody of Jean-Luc Brunel, another French modeling figure tied to Epstein, and it leaves investigators and survivors focused on the autopsy for clarity on whether the death was natural or if it calls for further criminal follow-up. Authorities say forensic results are expected in the coming days as the wider inquiry into France's connections to Epstein continues, according to international and French reporting.
