PARIS: A French modelling scout with close ties to the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding Epstein traffic and abuse women. Siad had not yet been questioned by investigators, but had denied the allegations, saying he wanted to be heard and give his version of events.

“An investigation to determine the cause of death was opened on Monday evening following the discovery”, the prosecutor’s office in the Paris suburb of Nanterre said.

An autopsy will be carried out as part of the probe. French investigators had been investigating Siad over allegations including for rape and human trafficking.

Siad’s name appeared in more than 1,000 documents released as part of the declassified Epstein files. He likened his efforts to recruit women to fishing.

“In This busyness I feel like fisherman some time I cache quick, some time no fish,” Siad wrote in English in an email to Epstein in 2014.

Siad had insisted that the American convicted sex offender had “taken ad­­­­­­v­­antage of his trust.”

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026