The Epstein files have named a German model who vanished nearly 11 years ago, giving her family their first real lead in a mystery that has haunted them for over a decade. Michele, who was 22 when she disappeared in September 2015, was referenced in messages between convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and model recruiter Daniel Siad. As detailed by VT, newly released documents from the US Department of Justice show Siad sent Epstein a photo of Michele in 2014, a year before she went missing, describing her as “the girl you missed from Germany.”
Michele’s family last heard from her in August 2015, when she spent a few days with her mother before vanishing without a trace. Her sister said Michele left home without explaining where she was going or when she would return. After a month of silence, the family reported her missing, but German law only allows an active search if there is evidence a crime may have occurred.
It was not until the Epstein files were published in September 2025 that the family received any potential clue about what might have happened to her. For years before that, they had clung to hope that she would come home.
Siad’s messages paint a troubling picture for Michele’s family
In February 2014, Siad sent Epstein a photo of Michele, writing, “I only have this picture of [her] taken in Dubai.” Epstein thanked him for the image. The following month, Siad referenced her again, calling her “the girl you missed from Germany” and adding, “She is a girl I know well. Very cool, great… person. You will love her.”
Despite these exchanges, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported there is no evidence Michele ever met Epstein. Two of Epstein’s former assistants also told the publication they had never seen her. The Epstein files have drawn scrutiny across Europe, where the document releases have had significant political consequences.
Michele’s parents, Vlado and Annett, have spent over a decade desperate for answers. Vlado said, “It’s so important to us that we find her again, no matter the situation.”
Annett, who is now separated from Vlado, had always worried about Michele’s modeling ambitions. She recalled trying to steer her daughter toward a more stable career, saying, “I wanted her to have a stable job. I told her: ‘You look beautiful now, but what will you do when you’re 30 or 40 and no one books you anymore?'” Michele had dreamed of modeling since her teens, and by 2012 had moved to Dubai, telling her mother she was working as a waitress. It was there she met Siad, who she later allegedly confessed to her father was employing her as an “escort.”
An ex-partner of Michele’s claimed Siad treated her harshly. “She was constantly getting calls. Sometimes she was loudly insulted,” they alleged. “I had the impression that she was under a lot of pressure.” After years of struggling, Michele returned to Germany and entered rehab. Vlado said they had planned to find her an apartment and a job when she returned from vacation, but she disappeared without warning instead.
The Epstein files shed further light on Siad’s alleged role as a recruiter. According to documents reviewed by AFP and reported by France 24, Siad appears in more than 1,000 files, with emails showing he frequently sent Epstein photos of young women along with their measurements.
One 2009 message referenced a 20-year-old from Latvia who “looks younger,” while a 2014 message mentioned “at least five” potential recruits aged 16 and 17, as well as a 15-year-old French girl. The DOJ has faced ongoing pressure over redactions in the Epstein files, with lawmakers pushing to expose additional names kept out of public releases.
Siad has denied any wrongdoing, posting a video on X where he claimed Epstein “used [his] trust” and insisted he was not “in a position to know that this man was dangerous.” He described himself as “from Kabylia (in Algeria), born French, and a Swedish citizen.”
Swedish former model Ebba Karlsson has filed a complaint in France accusing Siad of rape and human trafficking after allegedly recognizing him from the files, telling BFMTV she was lured under the pretext of a modeling career before finding herself trapped in southern France in 1990 at the age of 20. Karlsson also said she received death threats from Siad, allegations he denies.
The documents also link Siad to Jean-Luc Brunel, a former French modeling agency executive accused of sexual abuse by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. Brunel, who was found dead in detention in 2022, reportedly identified Siad as a recruiter of girls and women for Epstein. In a 2016 message to a New York district prosecutor, lawyer Stan Pottinger wrote that Brunel had described Siad as a “scout” for Epstein. Siad is currently under investigation in France over allegations he helped Epstein traffic and abuse women.
Michele’s whereabouts remain unknown, and Siad has not commented on her disappearance specifically.
Published: Jun 12, 2026 10:30 am