Document can reveal how Jeffrey Epstein worked specifically and purposefully to recruit Norwegian and Swedish girls as minors. At the centre of it all is an Algerian man with Swedish citizenship, who called himself “a fisherman”.

When the US Department of Justice released more than three million pages of emails, photos and documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s archive, it opened a Pandora’s box that hits Norway’s elite with unexpected force.

It’s not just names like Crown Princess Mette-Marit, former Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland and the diplomatic couple Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen that keep popping up in the files. The documents also reveal a systematic recruitment network that specifically targeted young girls from Norway and Sweden.

Document has reviewed hundreds of these documents. The online trail shows an operation that spanned at least a decade – from 2009 to at least 2017 – in which Epstein used paid intermediaries, modelling agencies as a front, and a sprawling network of contacts to lure Scandinavian girls into his sphere.

The language of the emails leaves little doubt as to their purpose.

Epstein’s Scandinavian hunter

The key to Epstein’s Scandinavian operation was Daniel Siad, a Swedish citizen of Algerian origin, who is described in Justice Department files as a “scout or recruiter of girls and/or women for J. Epstein”. Siad, who operated under the model agency “What’s Up Management”, ran his business from bases in Sweden, Finland, Spain and France.

By the summer of 2011, Siad was already in full swing. On 7 July, he sent an email to Epstein’s Gmail account with the subject line “Hello from Stockholm”:

“Hello Jeffrey I just come to spend the summer here in Sweden and I started scouting a lot here in Stockholm I’ll be here till the end of the month, I have been meeting a lots of new girls” – Daniel Siad to Jeffrey Epstein, 7 July 2011

In the email, Siad described a 20-year-old girl, 176cm tall, who would like to come to Paris or New York. He promised to keep Epstein updated on “the progress”. Attached was a photo album with 17 photographs of the girl, sent via a SkyDrive album.

Two months later, in September 2011, Siad was back in Paris, but his plans were clear. He wrote to Epstein that he was heading back to Sweden to “scout in mean time Scandinavian territories” – he needed to get back to where he belonged, and come back stronger in the marketplace.

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The network is growing

In August 2013, Siad reported that he had further expanded the operation. He had just returned from Sweden and Finland, where he had established a scouting network with an old friend from Finland.

“I just come back from Sweden and Finland I started a scouting Network with an old friend from Finland, she is realy good we found already about six good ones, 2 sisters are coming already to Paris the 20th august. Sweden is coming back just like the old times.” – Daniel Siad to Jeffrey Epstein, 14 August 2013

The phrase “just like the old times” suggests that Scandinavia was already known hunting ground for Epstein’s network long before 2013. Siad had clearly been operating in the region for years.

“I feel like a fisherman”

The most revealing email exchange between Siad and Epstein dates from July 2014. Epstein had promised to come to Europe, but cancelled at the last minute. Siad was frustrated – he had gathered girls from several countries waiting for Epstein’s arrival. In a detailed email on 20 July, he laid out the status:</p

“I paid there tickets and hotel for those Swedish age 21 and 22 and the Slovakian 22 the Swedish decided to go to Ibiza, Slovakian is going back tomorrow the French girl from Strasbourg, went back this afternoon” – Daniel Siad to Jeffrey Epstein, 20 July 2014

Siad went on to describe his business as fishing:

“In this busyness I feel like fisherman some time I cache quick, some time no fish. I really did good work for scouting in Scandinavia most of them will be ready to start with 2morrow at list 5 of them sixteen and seventeen will be ready for next year. But I can’t send you there pictures as know.” – Daniel Siad, 20 July 2014

The last sentence is worth dwelling on: Siad had recruited at least five girls in Scandinavia who were already ready, as well as girls aged 16 and 17 who would be “ready” next year. And he couldn’t send their photos yet – which may indicate that he knew the material was problematic.

In the same email, Siad revealed that he had also recruited a 15-year-old French girl:

“The French her name is [REDACTED] she is fifteen her parents checked me out and they are very happy there daughter to start modeling.” – Daniel Siad, 20 July 2014

Siad added that he was on his way back to Stockholm and then Gotland for what’s called “Stockholm week” – a celebration where “all the girls from Sweden gather there for five days non stop Parties. to through my hooks”. So the fishing metaphor was deliberate: He threw out hooks.

Epstein’s response is equally revealing. He promised to cover all expenses: “I will reimburse you of course for any expenses” – and asked Siad to send him details of the girls’ names.

Model agency as a facade

That “model scouting” was just a front is clear from another email exchange. On 13 August 2011, another of Epstein’s recruiters wrote to him – one who had access to Russian model databases – suggesting a solution to a practical problem:

“Lets do it this way: i will do scouting for you but i need a model agency cover, i will make a card from this agency and all the girls will be ours (because now its difficult to explain for what i am looking for especially for someone under 25yo)+5000 a month as we agreed at the beginning+tickets if you want me to fly somewhere.” – Anonymous recruiter to Epstein, 13 August 2011

The recruiter needed a modelling agency card as a front because otherwise it was “difficult to explain for what I am looking for especially for someone under 25yo”. Epstein was not interested in models. He was interested in young girls. And he was paying $5,000 a month for the service, plus tickets.

Epstein’s response revealed his criteria. He complained about a girl who had just been introduced: “fake boobs…25-?, kind but not even close to what you and i agreed”.

Obviously, it was offensive with both silicone breasts and a girl who was “way too old”. Immediately afterwards, the recruiter apologises.

Norwegian girls in Epstein’s web

While Siad primarily operated in Sweden and Finland, the network extended into Norway through several channels. From 2015 to 2017, Norwegian girls appear repeatedly in Epstein’s correspondence.

The Norwegian “personal assistant” who didn’t dare In April 2017, a Norwegian woman was attempted to be recruited for a position as a “personal assistant” for Epstein. An intermediary sent Epstein her rejection:

“norwegian lady is afraid to leave norway i guess! her response below, she does not want” – Intermediary to Epstein, 8 April 2017

The Norwegian woman had written a polite refusal in which she explained that she had thought about it and talked to people around her, and was not convinced that the position suited her. The middleman also commented on how she had heard about the job – through a friend.

“Norwegian tall blond blue eyes girl.” Two years earlier, in June 2015, Epstein was contacted by a co-worker who was on her way to him with a Norwegian girl:

“Epstein! Get me the car I’m coming with norwegian tall blond ble eyes girl!!! :D” – Employee of Epstein, 28 June 2015

Epstein was in meetings, but forwarded the message. The employee replied: “I met here man! Call me after you meetings 🙂 […] Even if not your assistant have fun w her :*”.

The Norwegian girl who brought “another Norwegian” with her. On 19 September 2017, Epstein sent an email to a co-worker with a short message:

“[REDACTED] is bringing another norwegian at 9 pm. some snacks. when you return at 7 thanks” – Jeffrey Epstein, 19 September 2017

The context – a Norwegian girl bringing another Norwegian girl to Epstein at 9pm, with snacks – speaks for itself.

20-year-old with a Norwegian passport. Just two days later, on 21 September 2017, an intermediary presented another candidate to Epstein – this time with a CV, photos and a detailed description:

“I met [REDACTED] such a street smart, well travelled, quick thinking 20 year old girl who has Norwegian passport. She studies at [REDACTED] but finishes next year and has time to work… Her CV is attached. She is tall, super skinny, works out every day. Very cute face. Your former PA [REDACTED] figure.” – Intermediary to Epstein, 21 September 2017

The fact that the description focused on physical appearance – tall, super slim, cute face – rather than qualifications, emphasises that the “personal assistant” positions were not what they seemed.

Infrastructure

For the Swedish girls, Epstein had an established infrastructure in New York. Emails from March 2015 show that apartments were made available to girls who came from Scandinavia. In an email chain with the subject line “Jeffrey Epstein – Apartment for Swedish Girl”, Epstein’s employees coordinated the logistics:

“[SLADDET] called re an apt for a swedish girl for 10 days… we can accommodate this girl but she will have to move apartments at the end of the week… We can put her in 11B starting today […] On Friday, she will need to move to 8A” – Epstein’s property manager, 2 March 2015

So there was a system: The girls were given apartments, moved between units as needed, and there was a steady stream of “guests” coming and going. Another email from January 2010 shows that a female contact in New York coordinated visits by Swedish girls to Epstein’s home:

“Lina NAME will come to you after work 5.30 and I will join her at your place… Linda NAME new young Swedish girl here who is starting at Berkely College can come by at 4.30” – Epstein’s Swedish contact, 6 January 2010

The contact also mentioned that the girls attended the same school that Sofia Hellquist – now Princess Sofia of Sweden – had attended.

The Lolita obsession

A recurring and deeply disturbing theme in Epstein’s documents is his obsession with Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita”. The novel is about a middle-aged man’s sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl. Epstein owned a first edition of the book and ordered “The Annotated Lolita” for his Kindle just 43 days before he was arrested in 2019.

This obsession was not academic. It was mixed with actual recruitment. In May 2017, one of Epstein’s co-workers wrote:

“I met [REDACTED] today. She is like Lolita from Nabokov, femme miniature 🙂 So now I should send you her type of candidates only?” – Intermediary to Epstein, 23 May 2017

The Nabokov reference was thus used as an order description – a type reference for which girls Epstein wanted. And it didn’t stop there. In an email from July 2014, another woman who had apparently been part of Epstein’s world wrote:

“Jeffrey, sorry for numerous emails… but now it is a period when I think the most about our Nabokov-Lolita experience and about everything I went through with you…” – Anonymous woman to Epstein, 25 July 2014

The woman referred to her own relationship with Epstein as a “Nabokov-Lolita experience” and in the same email offered to introduce a friend:

“the kindest, nicest, very gorgeous friend of mine is looking forward to meeting you… she is a good girl, very smart and from a very good family.. but is curious and happy to learn new things too”.

The pattern is recognisable: Previous victims were themselves used to recruit.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Nabokov

Among the most remarkable discoveries in Epstein’s archive is the correspondence with “HRH The Crown Princess” – Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The emails span from 2011 to at least 2014 and reveal a relationship that went far beyond what Mette-Marit has publicly admitted.

In October 2011, Epstein and the Crown Princess discussed literature – specifically the works of Nabokov. Epstein sent her an Amazon link to Nabokov’s “Lectures on Literature” and invited her for coffee. The Crown Princess responded enthusiastically:

“Ha ha god you work fast! I love it. But then again im not overly focused on details. I’m more the emotional picture kind of gal. Try read with your gut not your intellect. Might get better.” – HRH The Crown Princess to Epstein, 23 October 2011

Mette-Marit signed with “Mm” and wrote that she liked “images that scratch your soul”. Epstein commented that he now understood what and why she liked “these books” – without specifying which books they were other than Nabokov.

In a parallel email exchange from February 2012, Epstein recommended that another young woman read “Story of O” – the classic BDSM novel – and Simone de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex”. This exchange contained explicit sexual content, with the woman sharing intimate details of her experiences.

That Epstein recommended the same type of literature: Nabokov, “Story of O”, de Beauvoir – to both the Crown Princess of Norway and young women in her circle, raises uncomfortable questions about the context of these “book conversations”

The network around Epstein

Siad was far from the only one operating as an intermediary for Epstein. The documents reveal a wide network of people who contributed to the recruitment, from professional “scouts” to friends and acquaintances.

In February 2016, Ramsey Elkholy – one of Epstein’s contacts – offered a Czech model. When Epstein declined, Elkholy commented:

“I wouldn’t have thought so, not your type, but she meets other girls, so good for scouting.” – Ramsey Elkholy to Epstein, 16 February 2016

The comment reveals that even rejected girls had value in Epstein’s system – they could be used to recruit others. It was, to use Siad’s own metaphor, a fishing net with many meshes.

Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff coordinated the practical logistics. In March 2014, she sent Epstein a detailed breakdown of flight options for two named girls – one to Stockholm and one to Warsaw – with prices, departure times and recommendations.

Groff – who was later prosecuted as a co-conspirator but pleaded guilty in a plea deal – used professional, bureaucratic language. To her, the girls were travel logistics. Epstein paying for return tickets to Stockholm and Warsaw for young girls was routine.

Daniel Siad walks free

Økokrim, Norway’s Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic Crime, is now investigating Mona Juul, former ambassador, and Terje Rød-Larsen for gross corruption linked to Epstein. The couple, who played key roles in the Oslo deal, were invited to Epstein’s island in 2011. Their children were later listed as heirs to USD 10 million in Epstein’s will – something that was revoked after the scandal became public.

Thorbjørn Jagland, former prime minister and chair of the Nobel Committee, is also under investigation. Økokrim has asked the Council of Europe to lift his immunity.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit has apologised and referred to her relationship with Epstein as “poor judgement”. But the emails show hundreds of exchanges over several years, including visits and four days at his estate in Palm Beach. In other words, long after he was convicted of sex offences in 2008.

Daniel Siad, the man who called himself a “fisherman” in Scandinavia, has not been charged as of today. Nor has he been formally questioned, despite being named in Ministry of Justice files as part of Epstein’s European trafficking network – along with Jean-Luc Brunel, the French modelling agent who died in prison in 2022 while awaiting trial for rape and trafficking.

The documentation, emails and files reviewed by Document paint a picture of a systematic operation that went on for at least eight years. Norwegian and Swedish girls were actively sought out, recruited under the guise of modelling jobs and assistant positions, flown to New York and Paris at Epstein’s expense, and housed in his apartments. Some of them were minors.

Epstein is dead. Brunel is dead. But Siad is alive. And the questions that remain are as numerous as they are uncomfortable: How many Norwegian and Swedish girls were recruited in total? What happened to them?

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