Daniel Siad
As usual, the sudden death of a man who appears in the Epstein files more than 2,000 times immediately sparked conspiracy theories. Epstein was already acquainted with the Swedish-French-Algerian Siad during his Palm Beach years and by 2009, Siad was in regular communication with him about “scouting” women. According to DOJ records, Epstein routinely wired money to Siad’s accounts in Sweden and Dubai, sometimes as much as $25,000 at a time.
Although French, Siad, like many in Epsteinworld, seems to have had an unusual number of connections in Russian circles. He apparently hung out with Russophilic French nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen. He showed up at Fidel Castro’s funeral in 2016 and later told Epstein that Castro’s son wanted to meet him. He also introduced Epstein to a Russian spy’s daughter, Svetlana Pozhdaeva, who went on to recruit for – and report on various prominent men to – Epstein.
What makes Siad significant at this point in the ongoing Epstein cover-up and congressional inquiry is that, for at least a few years in the 2010s, he partnered with another Epstein associate and recruiter, a Russian woman named Victoria Housez. And, as we reported in a recent Freakshow, The Billionaire and the Recruiters, Housez had a financial – and maybe personal – relationship with billionaire Leon Black. Housez’s emails and other DOJ records indicate that Black repeatedly sent her money in 2011 and 2012, perhaps more than $50,000, while she was actively recruiting for Epstein and seeking to establish some kind of larger-scale “scouting” operation.
Within weeks of agreeing to scout for Epstein in May 2011, Housez had connected with Siad. “i go now with Daniel to see the boats outside of paris to book it for Russian receptions [sic],” Housez wrote in June 2011.1
“HAVE YOU HEARD FROM DANIEL?” Epstein emailed Housez in August 2011. “yes, he call me all the time [sic],” she replied.
Two weeks later, Housez told Epstein, “With Daniel we will do scouting together, he is waiting when i come back [sic].” In that same email, she asked about September travel plans and mentioned Leon Black: “please tell me when exactly i need to fly to NY? 5th? or better discuss it directly with Leon [sic]?”
Siad and Housez were both based in Paris – a crucial hub for the movement of Eastern European women into Epstein’s operation, as detailed in the Freakshow’s French Connection report. Multiple emails from Housez to Epstein discuss Black alongside updates on her scouting activities with Siad.
“Leon just left from Paris,” Housez emailed Epstein in October 2011. “we decided i ll fly to NY in a few weeks. are you coming here? i saw Daniel, we were talking about the system of scouting. [sic]
“I want to send you money,” Epstein emailed Siad in February 2012.
Around that time, Housez told Epstein that she was flying to Moscow to discuss opening a Paris office for World Fashion Channel, a cheesy network that served as a lure for aspiring models, and where Daniel Siad served as “Development Manager.” The network is owned by Russian billionaire Igor Kesaev, who has reported ties to the Russian government and security services, including the FSB. A few months after reporting her Moscow visit to Epstein, Housez became the “official representative” for World Fashion Channel in France.
Housez then emailed Epstein to inquire about Black sending her money to start a company that she claimed “he wanted me to do.” She wrote: “whats going on with Leon? … i saw him last time in december and received his little help at the beggining of January. its march soon, i really need a money to develop company (thats what he wanted me to do) .he wants to see me? it could be better every month, then to wait 2-3 month without money. [sic]”
A month later, Siad wrote Epstein: “In Paris ,helping Victoria ,very excited to start the TV project that will help us more for Scouting [sic].” DOJ records indicate Black sent $20,000 to a redacted recipient that same day. While the identity of this recipient is uncertain, other payments from Black to the same person closely align with dates Housez says she met with him.
The emails also suggest Housez and Siad were looking for a Paris office space from which to run their joint business. “Did you and vic find offices.?” Epstein asked Siad in April 2012. “me and Victoria are visiting different location we are waiting for answers,” Siad replied. “I have already a lots of models because. I have a new name cards from World Fashion Chanel it’s easy to stop a models [sic].”
In mid-June 2012, Housez was still updating Epstein on the office hunt and checking in about Black (“Leon plan is still actual?” she asked. Five days later, Black was in St. Petersburg for an advisory board meeting of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and was scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin the following day.) She invited Epstein to visit a space she liked, and Epstein let Siad know “victoria found great offices.”
“Great let’s move then ,I found a great girls too [sic],” Siad replied. Epstein advised him to coordinate with Housez.
The Siad-Epstein-Housez-Black nexus appears to have still been going strong in the fall of 2012. On September 18, Housez wrote Epstein, using parentheses as her signature shorthand for the smiley face emoticon: “i checked and spoke today with Daniel , he found a lot for you )))) we are waiting for you.” She followed up the next day, happy again: “Leon wrote me sms he wants to see me in Paris beg. of November ))).”
Nina Burleigh is a journalist, author, documentary producer, and adjunct professor at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She has written eight books including her recently published novel, Zero Visibility Possible.
Katie Chenoweth is associate professor of French at Princeton University and an investigative researcher
Reprinted with permission from American Freakshow
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