French officials have said that a modelling scout who recruited women for Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home near Paris.
Daniel Siad, 69, was under investigation by French prosecutors who specialize in human trafficking, facing accusations of rape and other charges. His name appeared in more than 1,000 documents from the US Department of Justice’s Epstein files, which were declassified earlier this year.
Siad was one of several French men accused of helping Epstein traffic and abuse women. He had not yet been questioned by investigators but denied the allegations, saying he wanted to share his side of the story.
He was found dead at his home on Monday evening. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of death, and an autopsy will be carried out.
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Siad traveled around the world, visiting villages in Eastern Europe or flying to Cuba or Sweden, looking for women to work in the modelling industry. Alongside searching for potential models, he also looked for women he hoped Epstein might want to meet. He compared his work to fishing, explaining to Epstein in a 2014 email that patience was needed: “In this business, I feel like a fisherman. Sometimes I catch quick, sometimes no fish.”
The files revealed Siad to be one of Epstein’s most loyal correspondents. He stayed in frequent contact with him until months before the financier’s death, receiving wired payments that seemed to cover expenses from his travels to find women.
Siad was well-connected in the modelling world and also worked as a scout on commission for Jean-Luc Brunel, who was a leading agent in Paris, New York, and Miami for over four decades. Brunel killed himself in prison in February 2022, after spending 14 months in custody awaiting trial on charges of raping minors and sexual harassment. He denied these charges and any involvement in Epstein’s sex trafficking. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
In an emailed statement to the Guardian in February, Siad said he believed he was providing women to Epstein for legitimate model casting sessions in Paris. “He had a big apartment where he used to organise all his meetings, including casting for models I recruited, for Victoria’s Secret and MC2,” he wrote. “The casting time would not last more than 10 minutes. I always left the place with the models immediately.”
Earlier this year, former Swedish model Ebba Karlsson accused Siad of rape. She said he scouted her in her hometown of Stockholm, Sweden, in 1990, when she was a 20-year-old model, and later raped her in France. She said Siad was using a different name at the time, and she could only identify him after seeing his picture in reports about the Epstein files. Karlsson, who had no interactions with Epstein, filed criminal allegations of rape and human trafficking against Siad in Paris earlier this year. Siad’s lawyer in Paris, Ménya Arab-Tigrine, told the Guardian earlier this year that he denied the allegation.
Reacting to the news of Siad’s death, Karlsson told AFP it was “very frustrating.” “He was very close to being arrested. We worked so hard for this, trying to get justice.”
Siad’s regular emails supplied Epstein with details about the young women he was recruiting. “Slovakia is the place to be,” Siad wrote to Epstein in 2009, noting that 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. “I will make you a great surprise when you come to Paris,” he promised. He was still working for Epstein in 2016, writing: “Call me if you have time. I am in Barcelona. With amazing Beauty.”
Epstein’s emails to Siad were very brief, 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….than their names. “I’m in New York—is the Swedish girl here?” Epstein asked Siad in June 2014. Sometimes, Epstein would reply to Siad’s suggested candidates with just a single word: “age?”. Siad liked to emphasize that the women he found for Epstein looked young, writing on one occasion: “26 but she looks 18.”
Siad, who described himself as French-born, of Algerian origin, and a Swedish citizen, told France TV earlier this year that Epstein had abused his trust and that he hadn’t been “in a position to know that this man was dangerous.” He insisted that his dealings with the models he scouted were strictly professional. “Over time, you discover that this person committed terrible acts. Fortunately, I never introduced him to any minor—or anyone, minor or not—who was abused. I have nothing to blame myself for,” he said in comments broadcast on French television.
The Department of Justice files suggest the FBI was tipped off about Siad’s work for Epstein in 2016. In February, French prosecutors announced they were setting up a team of magistrates to review evidence from the files, which mention several French nationals, including Brunel.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse is available from the following organizations. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support at 0808 500 2222 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support at 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs regarding the reported death of a model scout connected to Jeffrey Epstein near Paris
Basic Questions
Q Who was the person found dead
A A French modeling scout named JeanLuc Brunel He was a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein
Q Where did this happen
A At his home near Paris France
Q How did he die
A French authorities reported that he was found dead from an apparent suicide by hanging
Q Was he arrested or charged with anything
A Yes He was being held in a Paris prison on charges of raping minors and trafficking young women for sex
Advanced Contextual Questions
Q Why was JeanLuc Brunel so important to the Epstein case
A He was the founder of a major modeling agency and was accused of recruiting vulnerable young models for Epstein and his associates Investigators believed he was a key link in the trafficking network
Q When did this death happen
A He was found dead in his cell on February 19 2022
Q Was he about to be released or was he going to trial
A He was awaiting trial He had recently lost a legal appeal to be released from custody
Q Are there any suspicions about the death being a suicide
A Yes Many people including his own lawyer and victims advocates expressed skepticism They pointed out that he was on suicide watch had access to a ligature and died just as he was about to name other powerful people involved in the network An investigation into the circumstances was launched
Q Is this similar to how Jeffrey Epstein died
A Yes the comparison is unavoidable Epstein also died by apparent suicide in a federal jail in New York in 2019 while awaiting trial on similar sex trafficking charges Many find the timing and method suspicious in both cases
Practical Contextual Tips
Q Why do people think this death is suspicious
A Because he was a key witness with knowledge of a global sex trafficking ring His death prevented him from testifying or naming other accomplices The fact that it happened while he was supposedly being monitored raises major red flags for conspiracy theorists and legal experts alike
Q What happened to the investigation after his death
