Liam Payne's father is facing a $10 million defamation lawsuit filed by Roger Nores, a friend of the singer, who has been charged in connection with the star's death.
Geoff Payne
Liam Payne's father is facing a $10 million defamation lawsuit initiated by Rogelio "Roger" Nores, a friend of the late singer, who has been charged with manslaughter in connection with his death. Nores, an Argentinian businessman, asserts that he has been unfairly blamed for the tragic passing of the One Direction star, who died at the age of 31 last October.
He was among the last individuals to see the singer alive before he fell from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires.
The lawsuit, lodged in Palm Beach, Florida, follows the multimillionaire's recent charge of negligent homicide, which is equivalent to manslaughter in Spain, related to Liam's untimely death. Judge Laura Bruniard has accused Nores of "abandoning him [Liam] to his luck, knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and that he [Liam] suffered from multiple addictions." Nores has strongly refuted these allegations, previously stating that Liam was "playful, happy, and fine" when he departed on the day of his death. In the lawsuit, Nores contends that Geoff Payne made "misleading false and defamatory" statements to Argentine authorities investigating the incident, which he claims directly resulted in his arrest and subsequent manslaughter charges.
Additionally, Nores alleges that Liam's father provided false information to Argentine authorities, which he argues led to his arrest and the charges against him. According to Nores, Geoff purportedly informed investigators that he and Liam's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, were acting as Liam's "nurses" and were responsible for his care. Nores has consistently maintained that he was a close friend of Liam's but did not serve as the singer's caretaker, asserting that he had no legal obligation to ensure Liam's well-being. Geoff is also said to have claimed that Nores had taken Liam to see a new, unnamed psychiatrist in Florida after his regular doctor, Dr. Rhaidy, had resigned.
Geoff alleged that Nores misled the new psychiatrist regarding Liam's substance abuse problems to secure psychiatric medication and evade the ongoing care recommendations from Dr. Rhaidy. Nores categorically refuted this accusation, asserting that he and Liam never consulted another psychiatrist together and labeling the claim as "100 percent fiction."
Additionally, Geoff reportedly informed the police that Liam was unable to be left alone, lacked his own phone, and could only be reached through Kate or Nores. Nores has accused Geoff's assertions of inflicting considerable damage to his reputation, resulting in the legal challenges he currently faces.
He stated that these remarks have caused "irreparable damage" to his standing, prompting his lawyers to demand a retraction and correction of Geoff's statements. The lawsuit claims: "Defendant Geoff's false Relevant Contents of the Two Sworn Declarations were and are the proximate cause of the Plaintiff's injury and damages, including damage to Plaintiff's reputation." Nores has committed to donating all "net financial proceeds" from the lawsuit to Liam's son, Bear. Hotel staff members, including the manager, a waiter, and the receptionist, are also facing charges in connection with Liam's death.
According to Argentinian news outlet Infobae, two individuals have been remanded in custody. Braian Paiz, a waiter who allegedly confessed to using drugs with the singer, has been charged with supplying narcotics for compensation. Ezequiel Pereyra, another hotel employee, has also reportedly been charged with drug distribution. The managers of the CasaSur Palermo hotel, Gilda Martín and Esteban Grassi, are alleged to have been charged with manslaughter. Liam passed away on October 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. He was in the country to renew his US visa after relocating to Florida with his girlfriend, American influencer Kate Cassidy. Kate had returned home early due to feelings of homesickness, just a few days before his tragic fall in Buenos Aires.
The toxicological analysis indicated the presence of alcohol, cocaine, and prescribed antidepressants in his system at the time of his demise. Prior to his death, Liam exhibited "erratic behavior," with witnesses reporting that he needed assistance to return to his room after damaging his laptop. The autopsy determined that he succumbed to external bleeding and multiple injuries resulting from a fall from the third-floor balcony of the CasaSur hotel, located in the upscale neighborhood of Palermo. Liam's funeral took place in November in his hometown of Amersham, attended by family and friends, including former bandmates.
