Liam Payne death update: 3 arrested, close friend Rogelio Nores accused of ‘abandoning’ 1D star

Liam Payne death: Three individuals—a friend of Liam Payne, a hotel employee, and an alleged drug dealer—have been arrested and charged in connection with the death of the late One Direction star. Authorities have not named the 'friend', who they are accusing of 'abandoning a person followed by death' in relation to the singer's demise, stated reports.

The ‘friend’ in question, however, denied the allegations after the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office made the latest announcements in connection with the One Direction fame's death.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, the authorities' description indicates the ‘friend’ as Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores, who had accompanied Liam in the days before he died. He has also been accused of being complicit in the drug supply, a crime that carries a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years upon conviction, as per Argentinian law.

In an emotional statement made to the UK media outlet, Nores asserted, "I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel 3 times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened.” He also pointed out that at the moment he took Liam’s leave, the pop star wasn’t alone. “There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left,” he added.

Who is Rogelio Nores?

Liam Payne's friend, Rogelio Nores is an Argentine multimillionaire who built his wealth in the energy sector. According to Forbes, he founded his own investment firm at the age of 23. In 2018, Nores was recognised on Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ list in the Energy category as the CEO of StoneWay Capital. In 2022, his company was acquired by SCC Power.

Nores and Payne first crossed paths in 2020 at a house party in London hosted by Edward Enninful, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue. The two quickly formed a close bond, and earlier this year, the singer moved into a mansion in Palm Beach, Florida, owned by one of Nores' friends, stated a report by Page Six.