World4 min(s) read
Published 09:16 12 Jun 2026 GMT
A German model who has been missing for nearly 11 years has just been named in the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The woman, identified only as Michele, disappeared in September 2015 at the age of 22 after leaving her family home without telling relatives where she was going or when she would return. She has not been heard from since.
Newly released documents from the US Department of Justice have now linked Michele's name to communications between model recruiter Daniel Siad and the late convicted sex offender, giving her family their first lead in years.
According to the Epstein Files, released in September 2025, Siad exchanged messages with Epstein in 2014, a year before Michele disappeared.
In February of that year, Siad reportedly sent Epstein a photograph of Michele and wrote: "I only have this picture of [her] taken in Dubai," cited by Daily Mail. Epstein thanked him for sending the image.
The following month, Siad referenced Michele again in another message, describing her as "the girl you missed from Germany." He added: "She is a girl I know well. Very cool, great... person. You will love her."
German newspaper Der Spiegel reported that there is no evidence that Michele ever met Epstein.
Two former assistants of Epstein, who were contacted by the publication, also said they had never seen Michele.
Michele's sister revealed that the model left her home in 2015 without explaining where she was going or how long she planned to be away.
After a month without contact, the family reported her missing to the police. However, German law only allows an active search if there is evidence that a crime may have occurred.
As months turned into years, the family was left hoping Michele would one day return.
It was not until the publication of the Epstein files that they received any potential clue about what may have happened to her.
Her father, Vlado, said he and Michele's mother, Annett, who is now separated from him, remain desperate to find their daughter.
"It's so important to us that we find her again - no matter the situation," he said.
The young model had dreamed of becoming a model since her teenage years, a career choice that worried her parents.
Annett recalled: "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?'"
After spending several years partying as a teenager, Michele began telling her mom about modeling work she was receiving, although she did not share full details.
In 2012, she moved to Dubai and told her mom she was working as a waitress. It was there, she said, that she met Siad.
According to Vlado, Michele later confessed that she was working for Siad as an "escort".
An ex-partner of Michele claimed that Siad frequently contacted her and 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 dealing with the situation, Michele reportedly became frustrated with how she was being treated.
She eventually returned to Germany and entered rehab in an attempt to rebuild her life.
"We agreed: when I got back from vacation, we'd look for an apartment for her. And a real job," Vlado said.
In August 2015, shortly before she disappeared, Michele spent several days with her mother. Then, without warning, she vanished.
Nearly 11 years later, her whereabouts remain unknown. Meanwhile, Siad is under investigation in France over allegations that he helped Epstein traffic and abuse women. He denies the accusations.
Der Spiegel reported that his name appears frequently throughout the files in emails where he allegedly sent Epstein photos of women along with their measurements while praising their appearance.
The publication and broadcaster ZDF both tried to contact Siad for comment, but said neither he nor his lawyer responded to the requests.
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