One of Liam Payne’s “close friends” is among five people who have been charged in connection with the One Direction star’s death in Argentina in October.
Payne died aged 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of his room in the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires.
Argentinian businessman Rogelio Nores, known as “Roger”, previously called the singer his “very dear friend” and claimed to have left the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, where Payne was staying, 40 minutes before his death. He denied any involvement in the tragedy.
According to local newspaper Infobae, Nores is one of three charged with manslaughter, along with hotel chief receptionist Esteban Grassi and head of security Gilda Martin.
They are not reportedly being held in custody but have been banned from leaving Argentina.
Braian Paiz, a waiter who admitted to using drugs, including cocaine, with the singer, has been charged with supplying narcotics for payment. CasaSur employee Ezequiel Pereyra has also been charged with supplying drugs.
Paiz, an Argentinian waiter, appeared on local TV earlier this year where he insisted that he did not supply Payne with drugs or accept any money from him.
The other man has not commented publicly since it emerged that he had been placed under formal investigation.
Payne was pronounced dead after emergency services responded to a hotel manager’s call about an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”.
Early toxicology reports revealed he had “multiple substances” in his system when he died.
The singer died of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage”, a post-mortem examination report said.
According to prosecutors , “self-harm” was ruled out and no injuries were observed that would suggest the intervention of third parties.
It was concluded that Payne was “not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness at the time of the fall”.
Police found substances in his hotel room, and destroyed objects and furniture, prosecutors said.
Payne’s funeral was held on Wednesday 20 November, and was attended by his former One Direction bandmates Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan, along with his family and other friends including James Corden. He is survived by his son Bear, seven, who he shared with his ex, Girls Aloud’s Cheryl Cole.
