French Modelling Scout Daniel Siad, Linked to Epstein, Found Dead Near Paris

Under investigation in France, Siad was one of several French men accused of aiding  Epstein, who was convicted of trafficking and abusing women.

He had not yet been questioned by investigators, and had denied the allegations, saying he wanted to be heard and give his version of events.

'An investigation to determine the cause of death was opened on Monday evening following the discovery,' the prosecutor's office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said.

An autopsy will be carried out as part of the probe.

Strong links to Epstein

The first complaints against Siad in France were filed in February.

French investigators had been investigating Siad over allegations including rape and human trafficking, as Siad was an alleged procurer of women for the American  offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Former Swedish model Ebba Karlsson  filed the first complaint against Siad in February, accusing him of raping her 30 years ago, when she was 20.

Siad's name appeared in more than 1,000 documents released as part of the declassified Epstein files. He likened his efforts to recruit women to fishing.

Siad's lawyer Menya Arab-Tigrine said however that her client had requested to give his side of the story before he died. 'He is dead and he was innocent', she told AFP.

'If he died of a heart attack, the unbearable waiting, the pressure and the anxiety he suffered every day would have had something to do with it', she added.

Siad had insisted that the American had 'taken advantage of his trust'.

For victims, Siad represented a possible avenue to finally 'shed light on what happened' in relation to Epstein in France, said Juliette G., a former French model who says Siad recruited her in 2004 to introduce her to Epstein.

'Another link in the chain has disappeared that could have helped uncover the truth and identify those responsible', said the woman, who  asked for her surname to  be withheld.

'Urgently investigate'

Lawyers for the former model who made the first complaint said they were "stunned" by his death.

"We are at a loss for words to describe the anger and sadness we feel," they said, with alleged victims "denied a criminal trial".

The lawyers accused the Paris Public Prosecutor's Office of "scandalous" inaction which they said demonstrated "the public authorities' contempt for victims of sexual crimes, even when these crimes are linked to the human trafficking network established by Epstein and his accomplices".

Another former model who gave a deposition to police in June as part of the investigation into Siad told the BBC his death meant any information he might have had about Epstein was now lost.

Anne-Claire Le Jeune, who represents six women who made complaints about Siad, said victims had been deprived of justice because of the slow pace of the investigation.

Ex-BBC journalist Lisa Brinkworth, who co-founded a collective to support victims of model industry abuse, said she was shocked by the news of Siad's death.

'It feels like victims are being denied justice,' added Brinkworth.

'The failure of the Paris public prosecutor's office to act in the knowledge that Siad was a close associate of Epstein and facing multiple rape and trafficking allegations is beyond comprehension', she said.

'I urge the public prosecutor to now urgently investigate all individuals connected to Epstein and who are facing similar allegations.'

Not the First Death

Another associate of Epstein, French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, was found hanged in his Paris prison cell in 2022.

The 76-year-old had been held in custody for more than a year as he was investigated on suspicion of the rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation. Brunel denied any wrongdoing.

Brunel founded MC2 Model Management with funding from Epstein and was suspected of transporting and housing girls or young women for Epstein.

Epstein, 66, died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019 as he awaited a federal trial for sex trafficking.

Sources: RFI, BBC