Polish prosecutors announced on Wednesday that they will solicit information and evidence from two European countries to support a criminal investigation into human trafficking linked to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In an official statement, the office said documents contained in the Epstein files generated a reasonable suspicion that trafficking had occurred on Polish territory.
The prosecutors did not publicly name the two nations they planned to contact. A person familiar with the matter told reporters that the requests would be addressed to France and Sweden.
The announcement comes amid the release of millions of internal documents related to Epstein by U.S. authorities, material that has revealed ties between the deceased financier and a wide array of prominent figures across politics, finance, academia and business, both before and after his 2008 guilty plea on prostitution charges.
In February, Poland's prime minister announced a separate inquiry into whether Epstein had connections to Russian intelligence, and into any offences that might have affected Polish citizens. The national prosecutor's office confirmed that it had opened a probe specifically into human trafficking alleged to have been committed from 2009 to August 2019 within Poland and in other countries.
According to the prosecutor's statement, investigators suspect the trafficking involved recruiting women and girls under false pretences for work abroad, then transporting them out of Poland and handing them over to others for sexual exploitation.
Material contained in the files identifies an individual named Daniel Siad as someone who informed Epstein of his travel through a number of Central European countries while scouting for models, including trips through Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The same documents indicate Siad had worked with Jean-Luc Brunel, a long-time associate of Epstein who died in a French prison in 2022.
Polish media report that Siad was born in Algeria and moved to Sweden at the age of 23. Journalists attempting to contact him by two telephone numbers and an e-mail address found in the files have not yet received a response. Earlier in February, a Swedish paper quoted Siad as saying he had never committed a crime and that he would be willing to speak with investigators in any country with an interest in questioning him.
The cross-border scope outlined by Polish authorities highlights the multinational nature of the alleged offenses and the evidence trail spread across jurisdictions. Prosecutors have framed the investigation around the decade-long period ending in August 2019 and are now seeking documentary and testimonial support from partners abroad to advance their case.
Summary
Poland's national prosecutors say documents from the Epstein files provide reasonable grounds to suspect that human trafficking occurred in Poland between 2009 and August 2019. They will request assistance from two European countries, identified by a source as France and Sweden, as they pursue evidence and witness cooperation. The step follows a broader review announced by Poland's leadership into potential ties between Epstein and Russian intelligence and any offences involving Polish nationals.