In the hustle and bustle of his work, model scout Daniel Siad wrote to Jeffrey Epstein in July 2014, comparing his job to that of a fisherman: sometimes he catches something quickly, other times he comes up empty. This exchange, part of the latest release of documents from the U.S. Department of Justice, shows Siad’s frustration after Epstein missed a planned meeting.
“I had two girls from Sweden, a Slovakian, two French, and [redacted] the Russian, with whom you spoke, and a beautiful Chinese girl named [redacted],” he wrote. Epstein tried to smooth things over, replying, “I will reimburse you, of course, for any expenses.”
The correspondence between Epstein and one of his many fixers reveals the effort that went into arranging meetings with a steady flow of young women in the decade after his release from prison on charges of procuring a child for prostitution. On this occasion, Siad was careful not to upset Epstein, noting, “I wanted to make a great surprise for you.” He happily reported that a recent trip to Scandinavia had been very productive: at least five of the girls he met were just 16 or 17, and there was a 15-year-old from France whose parents were happy for her to start modeling. “There are millions of them out there,” he wrote.
The modeling industry served as a useful channel for Epstein to meet young women. He took a keen, consistent interest in the grassroots work of finding new faces, while also building friendships with senior figures in the industry.
The files depict Siad as one of Epstein’s most loyal contacts, staying in regular touch until just months before the financier’s death. He received wire payments from Epstein, apparently to cover his expenses.
Over ten years, Siad regularly updated Epstein on his scouting trips to villages in Eastern Europe, islands in Sweden, and central Havana—always keeping an eye out for suitable young women for Epstein to meet.
Though not well-known outside the modeling world, Siad had strong connections. He worked on commission as a scout for Jean-Luc Brunel, a leading agent in Paris, New York, and Miami for over four decades, and had also scouted for Gérald Marie, the former head of Elite.
Epstein worked closely with Brunel as well. In the early 2000s, he provided financial backing for Brunel’s agency, MC2 Model Management, and remained involved for years. Brunel died by suicide in prison in February 2022, after 14 months in custody awaiting trial on charges of raping minors and sexual harassment, which he denied, along with any involvement in Epstein’s sex trafficking.
Siad’s emails often urged Epstein to get in touch to hear about his latest finds. “Call me if you have time; I am in Barcelona. With amazing beauty,” he wrote in November 2016. The following year, he reached out from Morocco: “Really a lot of amazing beauty! And very polite.”
Siad appears in more than 1,000 documents in the latest batch of declassified files. His emails offer a glimpse into the intense work behind orchestrating meetings between Epstein and aspiring models.
“Slovakia is the place to be,” Siad wrote to Epstein in 2009, mentioning he had 45 women to see there. He told Epstein he planned to spend the summer “scouting small villages” in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. Later that day, Epstein asked, “how much$?”
“I have to invite the parents for lunch or coffee; I already have some girls waiting for me, like in Poland, so I have to give them some money,” Siad wrote, estimating his expenses would be at least €4,000. “I will make a great surprise for you when you come to Paris,” he promised.
Many emails included brief inquiries from Epstein.Epstein sent messages to Siad asking, “What about new girls?”, “Any news?”, “Anything worth coming to Paris for?” or “Any interesting women?” The women were often referred to by nationality rather than their names. “I am in NY, is the Swedish girl here?” Epstein asked Siad in June 2014.
Siad has said he was providing women to Epstein for legitimate model casting sessions in Paris. “He had a big apartment where he used to organize all his meetings, including casting for models I recruited, for Victoria’s Secret and MC2,” he said in a statement emailed to the Guardian. “The casting time would not last more than 10 minutes. I always left the place with the models immediately.”
Ebba Karlsson alleges Siad scouted her in her hometown of Stockholm, Sweden, in 1990, when she was a 20-year-old model. She says he took her to France and raped her. She has spent the past 30 years trying to track him down, but Siad was using a different name at the time. It is only now, after seeing a photo of him in the latest release of Epstein files, that she has finally been able to identify him.
Karlsson, who did not personally have any interactions with Epstein, told the Guardian she had always sensed her experience was “something bigger than me,” which was why she had spent much of the past decade campaigning against the abuse of models in the industry.
“It was something about the way it was done, the people he [Siad] knew … he threatened to kill me and told me that he knew the head of police in Paris. It is very easy to think you’re nobody, but now I know this was part of something bigger. I am relieved that my intuition was right,” she said.
Earlier this month, Karlsson filed criminal allegations of rape and human trafficking against Siad in Paris. Siad has denied Karlsson’s allegations. His lawyer in Paris, Ménya Arab-Tigrine, said Siad did not know Karlsson. “He is 69 and has no previous convictions,” she said, adding that the statute of limitations had expired because the allegations date from 36 years ago.
Last week, Le Parisien reported that a woman referred to as Malika told French police in 2022 that Siad had procured women for Epstein for sexual purposes. She said Siad approached her on the street in Paris in 2013, when she was 23, suggested she could become a model, and also offered to introduce her to a powerful financier from New York.
A few days later, she said, she was introduced to Epstein in his Paris apartment and he hired her as a masseuse. Siad later told her she should recruit more girls for Epstein, the woman claimed. The French police took no action, the woman said in the interview with Le Parisien.
Siad’s lawyer said he had not made the introduction to Epstein. “The worst thing about these files is that he and Epstein talk in language that we as women don’t like,” Arab-Tigrine said. “There is no evidence of any crime. He was working as a modeling scout and sending details to Epstein of the women.”
Siad told France TV this month that he had merely been working as a model scout, Epstein had abused his trust, and he had not been “in a position to know that this man was dangerous.”
“With time, one discovers that this individual committed atrocities; fortunately, I never introduced him to any minor or non-minor who was abused. I have nothing to reproach myself for,” he said in comments broadcast on French television.To prevent anyone from knowing you are contacting us, or what you are saying, you can use the following methods:
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The files indicate the FBI was alerted in 2016 about Siad’s work for Epstein. This month, French prosecutors announced they are forming a team to analyze evidence from the files, which mention several French nationals, including Brunel.
Siad, who describes himself as French-born, of Algerian origin, and a Swedish citizen, claimed on French television that his interactions with the models he scouted were strictly professional. Some of his emails to Epstein mentioned plans to arrange meetings with agents, but it’s unclear why Epstein was so involved in vetting aspiring models during a period when he had no formal role with any modeling agency.
Siad’s emails show Epstein was very demanding. In June 2011, Siad sent Epstein a photo of a 19-year-old woman, noting her measurements and describing her as “Very nice girl.” Epstein replied two days later: “not very interesting, sorry.”
Epstein sometimes responded with just one word, like “age?” Siad often emphasized that the women he found for Epstein looked young. For example, he wrote about a 26-year-old: “26 but she look 18,” or described a 20-year-old as “very sweet and shy.”
Occasionally, Siad warned Epstein, with characteristically poor spelling, that a recruited woman was a “bit of head ek” or might need plastic surgery to become more attractive.
In 2017, Siad contacted Epstein from Barcelona about a “very polite” woman he hoped to place with a modeling agency. Epstein requested a full-body photo and replied, “doesn’t look happy.” Later, he added, “she is nice her boobs are awful. they will have to be redone.”
Epstein regularly approved payments to Siad’s accountants. In 2018, he forwarded Siad’s bank details to his accountant, noting a “5 year loan for 25k dollars.”
The work was not always straightforward. In 2014, Siad suggested his nose had been broken by the father of a woman he was trying to sign as a model.
Sometimes, Epstein wanted no further contact with women he had been introduced to and complained to Siad. In May 2014, Epstein emailed Siad about an unredacted name in the files: “[name] texted me, i do not want to speak to her, if you pay for her ticket back to latvia I will reimburse you.”
Siad replied: “I am Taking care of her … I will resolve that don’t worry.”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Model Scout Emails Epstein
BeginnerLevel Questions
What is this story about
This story is about newly revealed emails that show how a professional model scout JeanLuc Brunel allegedly used his position to connect young women and girls to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein who was a convicted sex offender
Who is JeanLuc Brunel
JeanLuc Brunel was a French model scout and the founder of the MC2 and Karin modeling agencies He was a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein and was awaiting trial on charges of rape sexual assault and trafficking minors when he died by suicide in a Paris jail in 2022
What do the emails show
The emails reportedly show Brunel communicating with Epstein seemingly arranging for models some of whom were very young to travel and meet with him The correspondence suggests this was a deliberate process of recruitment under the guise of modeling opportunities
Why is this connection significant
It provides documented evidence of how Epsteins alleged sex trafficking network may have operated using the allure of the modeling industry to gain access to vulnerable young women It also raises questions about who else in powerful circles might have been involved or known about these activities
Advanced Practical Questions
What legal implications do these emails have
While Epstein is deceased and Brunel died before trial the emails could be critical evidence in ongoing civil lawsuits against Epsteins estate They may also be used by investigators to identify other accomplices or clients within the network and could influence how modeling agencies are scrutinized for trafficking risks
How did the modeling industry enable this
The industrys power dynamicswhere scouts and agents hold the keys to career successcan create vulnerability Promises of jobs travel and fame can be used to exploit young often inexperienced individuals who may be less likely to question unusual or secretive arrangements
What are the red flags or common problems in modeling that this case highlights
Pressure to travel alone to unfamiliar places to meet unnamed clients or investors
Vague job descriptions for lucrative opportunities
Being asked to sign nondisclosure agreements before understanding the nature of the work
Agents or scouts discouraging the involvement of parents guardians or lawyers
