Geoff Payne, the father of the late One Direction star Liam Payne, is facing a defamation lawsuit from the singer’s friend, Roger Nores, over comments made following Liam’s passing.
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Payne, aged 31, died from “multiple trauma” and “internal and external hemorrhage” after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Five individuals were charged in connection with his death, including Nores, who faced accusations of manslaughter. Argentine prosecutors alleged that he “abandoned” the singer and neglected his duty of care responsibilities.
In a legal complaint filed Wednesday in Florida obtained by People, Nores alleged that Payne’s father provided “false” statements to Argentine authorities. He maintained that the statements “contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge.”
The contested statements claim that Payne, “due to his addictions,” was under the care of his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and Nores.
Nores asserts that his relationship with Payne has been mischaracterized, describing it as a “dear mutual friendship.” He further clarifies that he “never had a legal duty of care” toward Payne.
“Liam was an independent adult person who made all his own decisions,” the lawsuit insists. The lawsuit also points out that Nores was “never the caretaker of Liam.”
He stated that the comments made by Payne’s father, which were shared with the media, had caused an “adverse impact” on his reputation, resulting in “extensive damages.”
On January 8, the businessman stated that he sent a defamation retraction letter to Geoff’s attorneys. However, in a January 10 response included in the lawsuit, Liam’s estate refused to comply. They accused Nores of attempting to interfere with a police investigation by pressuring Geoff to alter his testimony.
Nores Claims Proceeds from the Lawsuit Will Go to Liam Payne’s Son
The document also revealed that the “net financial proceeds” from the lawsuit would be donated to Payne’s son Bear, who he shared with Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole.
Cole attended Payne’s funeral in November. She was joined by former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik among the mourners.
Meanwhile, Liam Payne’s Estate hit back at the lawsuit with a statement.
“The Estate could not take this matter more seriously,” Liam’s estate wrote. “It has therefore taken the decision to support [Geoff] in this matter. [Geoff] denies, in the strongest possible terms, that he has defamed or otherwise caused any harm to your client.”
Liam’s estate also argued that the lawsuit’s plan to donate its proceeds to Liam’s son was “pointless.”