Daniel Siad, a modelling scout whose name appeared in documents linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been found dead at his home near Paris, French prosecutors said. He was 69.
Siad was discovered on Monday evening (20 July) at his property in Colombes, in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office said an autopsy would be carried out to establish the cause of death, while authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his death.
His lawyer said Siad died from a heart attack.
"Daniel Siad never stopped proclaiming his innocence," his lawyer, Meyna Arab-Tigrine, said in a statement.
Siad's name appeared around 2,000 times in files related to Epstein released by the U.S. Department of Justice.
French media reported that at least five women had accused Siad of rape, sexual violence and human trafficking. He denied the allegations.
His lawyer said Siad had never been placed under formal investigation by the French judicial authorities.
In France, a person is placed under formal investigation only after a preliminary inquiry, when investigating judges believe there are sufficient grounds to suspect that an offence may have been committed.
Siad previously said his connection to Epstein was purely professional. In an interview with French broadcaster BFM in May, he said he knew Epstein through modelling work and rejected claims that he had been involved in any wrongdoing.
French media reported that Siad allegedly helped introduce young women to Epstein and carried out scouting trips on his behalf from the late 2000s until 2017.
Those trips reportedly included Poland, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Morocco, Cuba and France.
One woman told French police in 2022 that she had been introduced to Epstein through Siad and later became a victim of his abuse, according to reports.
Siad said he believed Epstein had presented himself as a casting director with connections to the fashion industry.
Siad is the second person publicly linked to Epstein to die in France.
French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested in 2020 following allegations that he supplied women and girls to Epstein. He denied the accusations.
Brunel was found dead in his prison cell in 2022 while awaiting trial on charges including the rape of minors and sexual harassment. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.
Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was also ruled a suicide.
The investigations and legal proceedings surrounding Epstein's network continue to attract international attention, with authorities in several countries examining allegations involving people connected to him.
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