French modelling scout Daniel Siad, who was under investigation over ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead at his home outside Paris. Said's body was discovered on Monday evening.
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The 69-year-old had been accused by multiple women of rape, human trafficking and recruiting young women for Epstein, allegations he repeatedly denied.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office said an investigation into the cause of death had been opened. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, while French authorities said the wider criminal investigation into alleged trafficking and abuse linked to Siad and others would continue despite his death.
According to Reuters, Siad's name appeared nearly 2,000 times in the declassified Epstein files released by the US department of justice. Following the release of those documents, French authorities opened a broad investigation in February into allegations of human trafficking and tax fraud.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement of Wednesday that 24 women had since come forward as victims or witnesses of alleged offences involving Siad or others. According to Reuters, investigators had placed Siad under surveillance, including phone taps, but had not gathered sufficient evidence to justify his immediate arrest.
His lawyer, Menya Arab-Tigrine, maintained that Siad had repeatedly sought to cooperate with investigators. She also told Reuters that investigators had found no evidence amounting to "serious or corroborating indications" that would justify his arrest, adding that Siad had died of a heart attack.
French media reported that at least five women had accused Siad of rape and human trafficking, allegations he consistently denied. In an interview with French broadcaster BFM in May, Siad said his relationship with Epstein had been strictly professional.
Emails released as part of the Epstein files appeared to show Siad discussing women with Epstein. In one message, Siad wrote, "I am here in Barcelona I have girls staying with me from Australia Croecian origin, so you can speak with her very Sweet. I am looking to place her here and Paris." Epstein replied with a single word: "photo?"
Siad had previously likened recruiting women to fishing, writing in another email, "In This busyness I feel like fisherman some time I cache quick, some time no fish." He later claimed Epstein had "taken advantage of his trust."
Siad is the second man publicly linked to Epstein to die in France after modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who was arrested in 2020 over allegations that he procured women for Epstein, was found dead in prison in 2022 while awaiting trial. Brunel denied the charges. Epstein himself died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
