Model Recruiter With Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Found Dead in France

Daniel Siad -- a French professional model recruiter who arranged for scores of young women to meet Jeffrey Epstein -- is dead.

Siad was found dead in his home near Paris on Monday ... a deputy public prosecutor at the Nanterre Judicial Court in France told CNN. The cause and manner of death are unclear.

Epstein and Siad were friends and business associates for more than a decade ... during which time, Siad admitted he arranged for Epstein to meet with multiple female models.

Siad continued associating with Epstein after Epstein's 2008 conviction on sex crimes ... claiming Epstein assured him he was a changed man. He said he believed Epstein was a casting director for Victoria's Secret and a top modeling agency.

He told CNN, "I trusted him and believed this guy was a professional person ... I never heard anything from anyone I introduced to him who came back to me that they had a bad situation."

Two women who claim Siad introduced them to Epstein told CNN Epstein abused them.

Siad's name appears more than 2,000 times in the Epstein Files. He sent emails in which he included pictures of models who could potentially serve as Epstein's assistants ... including one who Epstein responded was "Too old."