PARIS—Daniel Siad, a French modelling scout whose ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had come under renewed scrutiny in recent months, was found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors said on Wednesday, with authorities opening an investigation into the cause of his death and ordering an autopsy.
Siad, 69, was found at his residence on Monday evening in Colombes, northwest of the French capital, according to the Nanterre prosecutor's office. Officials said the investigation is limited to establishing the cause of death and that no official determination has yet been made pending the post-mortem examination.
His lawyer, Menya Arab-Tigrine, said in a statement that she believed Siad had suffered a heart attack, but stressed that only the autopsy would establish the official cause. She also said Siad had wanted to respond publicly to allegations made against him before his death.
French authorities had been investigating Siad as part of a broader inquiry into alleged human trafficking and related offences linked to Epstein's network. The investigation intensified after the U.S. Department of Justice released documents earlier this year in which Siad's name appeared nearly 2,000 times.
French media have reported that at least five women accused Siad of rape and human trafficking. Reuters reported that Siad denied the allegations, while his lawyer said he had never been formally the subject of judicial proceedings. Authorities had not arrested or charged him, with prosecutors saying investigators had not gathered sufficient evidence to do so despite extensive inquiries, including surveillance measures.
Siad maintained that his relationship with Epstein was strictly professional and denied knowing that the U.S. financier was abusing women. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
The French investigation into alleged trafficking connected to Epstein is expected to continue despite Siad's death. Prosecutors have said investigators remain focused on examining allegations involving multiple individuals connected to the case.
Siad's death is the second involving a French modelling figure linked to Epstein. Jean-Luc Brunel, a modelling agent accused of recruiting young women for Epstein, died in a Paris prison in 2022 while awaiting trial. French authorities ruled Brunel's death a suicide.
As of Wednesday, prosecutors said the autopsy remained pending and no official cause of death had been announced.
