Model Recruiter Who Introduced Young Women to Epstein Found Dead in France
Qwenews.com – Daniel Siad, a model recruiter who introduced young women to Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead at his Paris-area home on Monday. Marie-Céline Lawrysz, deputy public prosecutor at the Nanterre Judicial Court, confirmed to CNN that Siad’s body was discovered inside his residence in Colombes. French authorities will perform an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Business Ties Survived Epstein’s Conviction
Siad spent more than a decade connecting aspiring models with the late financier, even after Epstein’s 2008 sex crimes conviction. Industry figures like Siad continued inviting Epstein to fashion events and allowed him to work with their modeling agencies. Siad later explained that Epstein convinced him he had paid his financial obligations and promised nothing similar would happen to women he recommended.
“I trusted him and believed this guy was a professional person,” Siad told CNN during an interview published in June. “I never heard anything from anyone I introduced to him who came back to me that they had a bad situation.”
Siad claimed Epstein worked as a casting director for Victoria’s Secret and the MC2 modeling agency, though CNN found no records confirming these positions.
Paris Investigation Continues
The Paris Public Prosecutor’s office announced that its comprehensive Epstein inquiry, launched in February, will move forward. The investigation covers human trafficking and criminal conspiracy allegations. Prosecutors have identified or received statements from 24 women following a review of available information and a public appeal for victims. Investigators have already interviewed at least 16 women, with more conversations planned.
Despite the extensive probe, prosecutors said there is currently insufficient evidence to detain Siad. “Daniel Siad was the subject of special investigative techniques, including telephone intercepts, although to date these have not produced evidence justifying his immediate arrest,” the office stated.
Records Show Ongoing Connections
Department of Justice documents show Epstein sent tens of thousands of dollars to Siad over the years. One message from Siad read: “Cute French girl in Marrakesh… She said that she will (be) happy to meet you.” In a 2018 email, Siad mentioned Epstein wanted help finding an assistant, writing that he needed a “good looking young assistant” for the financier.
In another message, Siad sent Epstein a photo of a woman, describing her as “very polite” with “potential” as either a “model” or “assistant.” Epstein replied simply: “Too old.” According to DOJ files, Siad regularly sent photographs of young women he met while traveling, some taken in suggestive poses. BFMTV, a CNN affiliate, reported that Siad’s name appears more than 2,000 times in the DOJ’s Epstein documentation.
Victims Respond to Siad’s Death
Svetlana Pozhidaeva, a Russian-born model, previously told CNN that Siad introduced her to Epstein and that the financier abused her. “If it wasn’t for him, my life would have unfolded completely differently,” Pozhidaeva told CNN on Wednesday. She said Siad’s death prevented accountability. “I wanted for justice to be served, for there to be some kind of investigation and achieve some closure,” she added.
Ménya Arab-Tigrine, Siad’s attorney, released a statement on Wednesday noting his client had agreed to “subject himself to the grueling media spotlight…to see the truth come to light.” Arab-Tigrine emphasized that they must wait for autopsy findings. “We must await the autopsy results to confirm whether his body simply gave out,” the lawyer said, adding that Siad remained innocent and had not faced prosecution or “formal implication in any legal proceedings.”
Epstein’s connections to the modeling industry remain under examination through ongoing investigations. The city’s chief prosecutor confirmed that a criminal probe launched this year in Paris is reviewing information connected to Siad. Additionally, Siad faced extra abuse accusations, including a 1990 rape allegation from a model who worked in France at the time, which Siad denied.
CNN’s Katie Polglase, Barbara Arvanitidis, Elina Baudier Kim, Curt Devine, and Isabelle Chapman contributed reporting.
