Liam Payne's friend Roger Nores sues One Direction singer's dad for alleged defamation
Liam Payne's friend Roger Nores is suing the late One Direction singer's father for alleged defamation.
The businessman, born Rogelio Nores, claims Geoff Payne shared "false" and "misleading" information with Argentine prosecutors in the death investigation of Liam, according to a federal lawsuit filed in Florida Wednesday and obtained by Paste BN Friday.
In the filing, Nores describes himself as a "dear friend" of Liam whose reputation has suffered in "mega proportions" as a result of Geoff's alleged defamation in two signed declarations to Argentine prosecutors.
Nores is suing Geoff for $10 million, which he asserts he will "donate the net financial proceeds" to Liam's son, Bear, and is requesting the retraction and clarification of Geoff's statements to prosecutors.
Nores was charged with manslaughter late last year in connection with the death of the singer, who fell from a Buenos Aires, Argentina, hotel balcony in October. Nores is suspected of manslaughter for allegedly leaving Liam vulnerable despite knowing about the singer's addictions and that he could not fend for himself.
Toxicology testing previously found Liam had traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system in the 72 hours before his death. Prosecutors claim Nores left the hotel less than an hour before the fall.
A judge argued that he should not have entrusted hotel employees, who were also charged, with Liam's well-being.
Nores, a Miami resident required to stay in Argentina, claims in the filing that he was not employed by Liam and that the singer never paid him — despite rumors that he was the One Direction star's manager — and that neither had "a duty of care" to the other.
Geoff signed two sworn declarations — originally written in Spanish — asserting Nores served as a caretaker for Liam, including by attending a psychiatrist consultation in which both mischaracterized Liam's addiction in order for Liam to get psychiatric medication.
Nores' filing points to numerous media reports asserting that Nores served as a caretaker for Liam, which Nores denies. Instead, he claims in the filing, Geoff and Liam's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, had the "capacity, opportunity and superior knowledge" of his actions to help Liam and were doing so in the months prior to his death, and in Cassidy's case, in the weeks and days prior to his death.
Nores also claims he never provided Liam with "recreational drugs or any restricted medicines."
Who was charged in Liam Payne's death?
Two other people have been charged with negligent homicide, or unintentional manslaughter, and two have been charged with supplying drugs in connection to Liam's death.
BBC and Sky News identified waiter Braian Paiz, who allegedly supplied cocaine twice on Oct. 14, while another hotel employee, identified as Ezequiel Pereyra, allegedly supplied the One Direction star with cocaine on Oct. 15 and 16. Payne died on Oct. 16.
Argentine investigators say the hotel's manager, which the outlets identified as Gilda Martin, has been charged with manslaughter due to failing to stop Payne from being taken to his hotel room moments before his death, while its chief receptionist, Esteban Grassi, is charged due to allegedly asking three people to "drag" the singer to his room.
Argentine investigators ruled out the possibility that the fall was voluntary early on and believe Payne was in a state of partial or full unconsciousness at the time. In November, authorities ruled the musician died from 25 injuries from his fall, resulting in "polytrauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage."