Daniel Siad, 69, a French modeling scout whose name appears repeatedly in documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead in his Colombes apartment on July 20, 2026. An autopsy has been ordered, though his lawyer says he suffered a heart attack and that stress and stigma may have contributed. Published emails reportedly show Siad exchanging messages with Epstein about young women, including images of a 17-year-old. Paris prosecutors say at least 24 women have come forward in a human trafficking and fraud probe; Siad was examined but not formally prosecuted.
French Modeling Scout Linked to Jeffrey Epstein Found Dead in Paris Suburb; Autopsy Ordered
Daniel Siad, 69, a French modeling scout with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead inside his Paris apartment, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Daniel Siad, a 69-year-old French modeling scout who has been linked in released documents to financier Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead in his Colombes apartment on July 20, 2026, Paris authorities said. A postmortem examination has been ordered to determine the cause of death.
This photograph taken July 22, 2026, shows the home of model agent Daniel Siad in Colombes, a north-western suburb of Paris, where he was found dead July 20. Authorities opened an investigation into the cause of death and ordered a postmortem examination.
A photograph taken on July 22 shows the Colombes residence where police discovered Siad and subsequently opened an investigation. Siad's attorney, Menya Arab-Tigrine, told media outlets that her client died of a heart attack and said the stress and public stigma surrounding the allegations may have contributed to his condition.
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in federal custody in 2019.
"While he died of a heart attack, the unbearable waiting, the stigma cast upon him and, by extension, his loved ones — as well as the daily pressure and anxiety he endured — undoubtedly played a role," Arab-Tigrine said, noting that authorities must await the autopsy results.
Siad's name appears frequently in material related to Epstein: Reuters reported his name appeared about 2,000 times in files released by the U.S. Department of Justice. News reports cite published emails allegedly exchanged between Siad and Epstein. In one message Siad reportedly wrote that he was in Barcelona with "girls staying with me from Australia [and] Croatian origin" and that he was "looking to place her here and Paris." In another 2009 exchange, Siad is said to have attached images of a 17-year-old Slovak girl while scouting models in Bratislava; the thread reportedly included a brief reply from Epstein asking, "Photo?"
Paris prosecutors launched an inquiry in February into alleged human trafficking and related fraud. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told Reuters that at least 24 women have come forward as victims or witnesses regarding alleged acts involving Siad or others. Investigators examined Siad during the probe but, according to his lawyer, there was not sufficient evidence at that time to detain or charge him.
Jeffrey Epstein, the U.S. financier at the center of an international sex-trafficking scandal, was found dead in federal custody in 2019. French authorities have been contacted by several media organizations for comment; officials say they will release details from the autopsy when available.
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