Liam Payne's friend sues his father for defamation

Roger Nores, a close friend of the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Payne’s father, Geoff Payne, in the US.

Roger Nores alleges that Geoff Payne made false statements to Argentinian authorities regarding Nores’ involvement in Payne’s life before his tragic death in Buenos Aires last October.

Liam Payne, who died from multiple injuries after falling from a balcony, was reportedly in the care of Roger Nores and his girlfriend at the time of the incident.

However, Roger Nores claims this portrayal of their relationship is inaccurate. He insists he was simply a close friend to Liam Payne and never had any legal responsibility for his care.

The lawsuit states that Geoff Payne’s statements, which were also shared with the media, have severely damaged Roger Nores’ reputation.

Roger Nores has stated that any financial proceeds from the lawsuit will be donated to Payne’s son, Bear.

Liam Payne’s death shocked the world, and his funeral was attended by his former One Direction bandmates. Following the band’s hiatus, Payne enjoyed a successful solo career, releasing his debut album “LP1” in 2019.

The inquest into Payne’s death in the UK is ongoing.

Back in December 2024, Roger Nores, held the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, responsible for the One Direction singer’s death.

British popstar Liam Payne fell to death from the third-floor balcony of his room in Casa Sur Hotel, located in Palermo, Buenos Aires, on October 16, shortly after his girlfriend Kate Cassidy left for the U.S., leaving the former with Roger Nores in Argentina.

Payne’s close associate and one of the last people he met before his untimely death, Nores, 35, was under investigation for alleged abandonment, as he is suspected to have left the singer alone in his vulnerable state.

However, Nores has released a statement, claiming that he ‘never abandoned Liam’, and that the hotel in which the singer stayed is to be ‘blamed for his death’.

“I went to his hotel 3 times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” he told a foreign publication. “There were over 15 people in the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen.”

“I’ve given my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police office or prosecutor ever since,” Nores added, and clarified that he was not the manager of the late singer and ‘just a very dear friend’.