The Modeling Scout Was a Major Name in the Epstein Emails
Daniel Siad, a longtime modeling agency scout whose name surfaced repeatedly in the U.S. Justice Department’s release of Jeffrey Epstein-related files earlier this year, has been found dead at the age of 69 in his home in a suburb of Paris. French authorities confirmed that an autopsy is underway to determine the cause of death. At the time of his death, Siad was under formal investigation for allegations of rape and human trafficking after multiple women came forward with complaints. Prosecutors had not yet questioned him before he died, leaving many of his accusers without the opportunity to see their allegations tested in court.
Siad became a subject of international attention after the declassified Epstein files revealed that his name appeared more than 3,000 times in emails and other records connected to the convicted sex offender. According to reports, one 2014 email showed Siad comparing his recruitment of young women to “fishing,” fueling allegations that he played a role in introducing women into Epstein’s social circle. French investigators opened a criminal probe after five women filed complaints accusing him of sexual assault, rape, and trafficking-related offenses. The investigation was still in its early stages when news of his death broke.
Rape Allegations Went by the Wayside for Years
One of Siad’s most vocal accusers, Swedish former model Ebba Karlsson, has spent years attempting to build a case against him. Carlson alleges that Siad raped her when she was just 20 years old. Although her alleged assault falls outside France’s statute of limitations, she has worked alongside attorneys to identify additional victims and raise awareness about what she describes as an international network that exploited young women through the modeling industry. Following Siad’s death, Carlson expressed frustration that another key figure linked to the Epstein scandal will never face justice in a courtroom.
In February, after his name became public through the Epstein document releases, Siad publicly denied any wrongdoing in a statement posted on X. He acknowledged knowing Jeffrey Epstein but claimed that Epstein initially appeared to be a professional businessman. Siad said he only later learned of Epstein’s crimes and insisted he never introduced underage girls, or any models who were later abused, to Epstein. He maintained that he had “nothing to feel guilty about” and rejected all allegations against him.
Siad Isn’t the Only One to Die Tied to Epstein
Siad is now the second prominent French figure connected to Epstein to die before standing trial. In 2022, French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was found hanged in his prison cell while awaiting trial on rape and human trafficking charges. Brunel had long been accused of recruiting young women for Epstein and was widely considered one of his closest associates in Europe. The similarities between the two cases have reignited criticism of the French justice system and its handling of high-profile sexual abuse investigations.
During an interview with France 24 following Siad’s death, journalist and author Dana Thomas, who worked as a fashion model in Paris during the early 1980s, described an industry that had long tolerated predatory behavior. Thomas said many young models were aware that certain agents and executives targeted vulnerable women with promises of lucrative contracts, only for some to allegedly become victims of drugging, sexual assault, and exploitation. She argued that stories about powerful figures preying on aspiring models were common knowledge within parts of the fashion industry decades ago, raising questions about why authorities failed to intervene sooner.
Thomas also criticized French law enforcement for moving too slowly on sex crime investigations, arguing that delays allow suspects to avoid accountability through death or expiring statutes of limitations. She noted that victims often spend years trying to convince authorities to take their complaints seriously, only to watch investigations drag on without resolution. Siad’s death, she argued, mirrors the frustration many victims felt after Epstein died in jail in 2019 and Brunel died while awaiting trial, leaving unanswered questions and no courtroom testimony.
*****Editor’s Note*****
To this day, even despite his death, allegations against Daniel Siad remain allegations, and because of his death, the criminal investigation may never reach a conclusion. As of this story’s publishing, French authorities have not announced a cause of death, and officials say the autopsy remains ongoing.
Regardless of the outcome, Siad’s passing is likely to intensify scrutiny of both the Epstein network’s European connections and the pace at which French authorities investigate sexual abuse and trafficking cases. For many of the women who accused him, the opportunity to confront him in court has now been lost, adding another unresolved chapter to the sprawling Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
If people don’t find this death fishy they are very naive. The fact that there is no cause of death makes it stink even more so. Only time will tell when the “house of cards” finally fall.
