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Liam Payne’s friend Rogelio “Roger” Nores, who was one of three people charged with manslaughter as a result of the singer’s death, is now suing the late One Direction star’s dad for defamation. Nores claims Geoff Payne told police that Roger had “full responsibility for Liam’s care during this last period when I was not there.”
According to lawsuit documents, obtained by TMZ, Geoff Payne submitted a sworn declaration to Buenos Aires police making this claim. But, while acknowledging that he and Liam Payne were “dear friends,” Roger Nores states that he “never agreed to be and was never the caretaker of Liam.”
Nores, 35, also claims in the lawsuit, Page Six reports, that Geoff Payne made statements to police, that have since been shared by the media, that were “false, contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge.” Among those alleged false statements was that Liam Payne was under Nores’ care “due to his addictions.”
Liam Payne’s father also, according to the lawsuit, falsely claimed that he along with Nores and a bodyguard, Bledar Vata, “formed a team” to assist in his son’s “recovery.” Geoff Payne also allegedly claimed that his son was being “monitored” by doctors.
Roger Nores also denies providing Liam Payne with “any recreational drugs” or “controlled any prescribed medications” prior to the singer’s fall from a third floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
Nores informed Page Six that any money he receives from his lawsuit against Geoff Payne will go to Liam’s seven-year-old son.
“Geoff needs to backtrack on his sworn statement as he very well knows I wasn’t Liam’s nurse or care taker,” he said. “Liam, who I miss every day, was my dear friend and an independent, brilliant, respectful free man who did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.”
Roger Nores was charged with manslaughter in December by the Argentinian Public Prosecutor’s Office for “failing to fulfil his duties of care, assistance and help” towards Payne when he “abandoned him to his luck knowing that he was incapable of fending for himself and knowing that he [Payne] suffered from multiple addictions.”
Nores has stated previously that he “never abandoned Liam” and that he “went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before” the singer fell to his death.
Esteban Grassi, a receptionist at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel, and Gilda Martin, the hotel’s head of security, were also charged with manslaughter. Two others, Braian Paiz, a waiter at a local restaurant, and another CasaSur Palermo Hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra, are facing drug-related charges related to Payne’s death.