French prosecutors are to close an investigation into the death earlier this year of a modelling scout with close ties to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying there was no evidence of foul play.
Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding the US financier to traffic and abuse women. He found dead at his home outside Paris in July.
No evidence of criminal offences was found in the circumstances surrounding his death, prosecutors in the Paris suburb of Nanterre who were handling the probe said in a statement.
French investigators had been investigating Siad — who said he also held Swedish citizenship — over allegations including rape and human trafficking. Siad had not yet been questioned by investigators, but had denied the allegations.
Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
An autopsy conducted shortly after Siad’s death showed no signs violence but revealed “a degraded state of health” and “a prior heart attack, which could pose a risk of sudden death,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Further forensic analysis ruled out “a toxic cause of death,” while an examination of tissue samples pointed to a medical condition that could lead to “a cardiac-related death,” it added.
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, by suicide, in 2022.
Siad’s name appeared in more than 1,000 documents released as part of the declassified Epstein files.
Victims had expressed hope that Siad would be brought to justice and also disclose more information about Epstein’s crimes. Siad’s lawyers meanwhile after his death said he had been looking forward to clearing his name in court.
