Daniel Siad, a 69-year-old French model recruiter accused of connecting young women to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was found dead Monday evening, July 22nd, at his residence in Colombes, a suburb northwest of Paris, according to French authorities and the BBC.

French prosecutors have launched an investigation into the circumstances of Siad's death, with an autopsy underway to determine the cause. The office stated, “An investigation to determine the cause of death was opened on Monday evening following the discovery,” as reported by the BBC.

CNN reported that Siad spent over a decade introducing young women to Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. Siad’s name appeared nearly 2,000 times in Justice Department documents released earlier this year, according to BFMTV, a CNN affiliate.

Siad had been under investigation in France for allegedly recruiting women who later became victims of Epstein’s trafficking and abuse network, according to Le Monde. Despite his firm denials, Siad wrote to Epstein in 2014 comparing his recruitment efforts to fishing, as reported by Le Monde. DOJ files also revealed messages from Siad to Epstein, some containing pictures of women in provocative poses, CNN reported.

This case echoes that of modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, accused of procuring young women for Epstein but denying the allegations, who was found hanged in his prison cell in 2022 while awaiting trial on charges of raping minors and sexual harassment.

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