French authorities are investigating the death of Daniel Siad, a model recruiter with documented ties to Jeffrey Epstein, whose body was discovered at his home in a Paris suburb on Monday. Siad's death comes as French investigators continue a wide-ranging probe into Epstein's alleged human trafficking network, an investigation that has already identified numerous potential victims.
"If it wasn’t for him, my life would have unfolded completely differently. I wanted for justice to be served, for there to be some kind of investigation and achieve some closure." — Svetlana Pozhidaeva, Model
For over a decade, Siad operated as a professional model recruiter, facilitating introductions between young women in the fashion industry and the disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein. His association with Epstein continued even after Epstein's 2008 conviction for sex crimes, with Siad reportedly pursuing new ventures with him and welcoming him to industry events, long after many others in the fashion world severed ties. Siad maintained that he trusted Epstein's assurances that his past crimes were behind him. "I trusted him and believed this guy was a professional person," Siad stated in a June interview with CNN. "I never heard anything from anyone I introduced to him who came back to me that they had a bad situation. I believed this guy is a professional person."
Deputy public prosecutor Marie-Céline Lawrysz, from the Nanterre Judicial Court, confirmed Siad's death on Wednesday. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the cause of death, with investigators withholding any determination pending the results. Siad had recently broken a decade-long public silence, granting a rare interview to CNN journalist Katie Polglase, published in June. In this interview, Siad denied any knowledge of Epstein harming women he referred, a claim directly contradicted by two women who separately told CNN they were abused by Epstein after being introduced by Siad.
The Paris Public Prosecutor’s office confirmed this week that its investigation into Epstein’s network, which commenced in February on allegations of human trafficking and criminal conspiracy, will proceed despite Siad's death. This extensive probe has already led to 24 women being identified or coming forward as potential victims, with investigators having completed interviews with at least 16 of them. Additional interview sessions are scheduled.
Prosecutors acknowledged that while Siad was alive, they lacked sufficient evidence for his immediate arrest, despite deploying "special investigative techniques, including telephone intercepts." Financial records unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice illustrate a lucrative arrangement between Siad and Epstein, showing Epstein paid Siad tens of thousands of dollars over their years of association. These files contain messages, including one from Siad describing a prospective introduction: "Cute French girl in Marrakesh… She said that she will (be) happy to meet you." Another exchange reveals Siad fielding a personal request from Epstein for assistance in finding an assistant. A 2018 email from Siad detailed his search for a "good looking young assistant" intended for Epstein. One communication shows Siad sending Epstein a photograph of a woman he described as "very polite" with "potential" as a "model" or "assistant," to which Epstein curtly responded, "Too old." According to the DOJ documents, Siad regularly forwarded Epstein photographs of young women encountered during his travels, some in provocative poses. French outlet BFMTV reported that Siad's name appears over 2,000 times in the released files.
Svetlana Pozhidaeva, a Russian-born model, is among those who have spoken out this week. Pozhidaeva stated that Siad introduced her to Epstein, and that Epstein subsequently abused her. "If it wasn’t for him, my life would have unfolded completely differently," Pozhidaeva told CNN, expressing that Siad’s death may prevent him from facing accountability. "I wanted for justice to be served, for there to be some kind of investigation and achieve some closure." Siad’s attorney, Ménya Arab-Tigrine, defended her client, describing him as someone who willingly engaged with media scrutiny to promote transparency. Arab-Tigrine stated, "We must await the autopsy results to confirm whether his body simply gave out," while asserting Siad's innocence and noting he had never been formally implicated in any legal proceedings.
The Paris chief prosecutor confirmed that the criminal probe initiated this year will continue to examine information specifically linked to Siad as part of its broader investigation into Epstein’s connections within the modeling world. Separately, Siad also faced a rape accusation from a model alleging an assault in France in 1990, an allegation he denied. His death marks a significant development in the complex and far-reaching investigations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein's activities.
