French modelling scout with links to Epstein found dead, prosecutors say

A French modelling scout with close ties to the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors say. Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding Epstein traffic and abuse women.Mr 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.His lawyer Menya Arab-Tigrine did not immediately respond when contacted by AFP.French investigators had been investigating Mr Siad over allegations including for rape and human trafficking. Daniel Siad was one of several French men accused of aiding Jeffrey Epstein traffic and abuse women. (AP: New York State Sex Offender Registry)Mr 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.Mr Siad had insisted that the American convicted sex offender had "taken advantage of his trust". French authorities in 2020 arrested modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel after allegations he procured women for the US billionaire. He was found dead in prison in 2022. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.'Denied justice'For victims, Mr Siad represented a possible avenue to finally "shed light on what happened" in relation to Epstein, said Juliette G., a former French model who says Siad recruited her in 2004 to introduce her to Epstein."Another link in the chain has disappeared that could have helped uncover the truth and identify those responsible," said the woman, who has asked to withhold her surname to protect her privacy.Former Swedish model Ebba Karlsson, now in her fifties, filed the first complaint against Siad in February, accusing him of raping her when she was 20."It's very frustrating," Ms Karlsson told AFP. "He was very close to be arrested. We worked so hard for this, trying to have justice."She has also accused Mr Siad of introducing her to Gerald Marie, the former European head of the Elite modelling agency, whom she has also accused of rape. Several women have accused Mr Marie of rape and human trafficking and urged France to investigate him for possible links to Epstein. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.Ex-BBC journalist Lisa Brinkworth, who co-founded a collective to support victims of model industry abuse, said she was shocked by the news of Mr Siad's death."It feels like victims are being denied justice," she added."It is appalling that he had not been detained."ABC/AFP