Three months after the tragic death of former One Direction star Liam Payne, 

his family is facing new turmoil with the filing of a defamation lawsuit involving his father, Geoff Payne. 

The lawsuit, filed by Liam’s close friend, Roger Nores, has sparked outrage among the late singer’s fans, many of whom are expressing their anger and disbelief on social media. 

Liam Payne tragically passed away on October 16, 2024, after suffering fatal injuries from a fall at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires. 

He was 31 years old. An inquest into his death revealed that he died from polytrauma, which means multiple traumatic injuries. 

The investigation into his death has been ongoing, and five individuals were charged, including Nores, who has been accused of manslaughter. 

Prosecutors in Argentina claimed that Nores “abandoned” Liam and failed in his duty of care responsibilities, a charge he vehemently denies.

Now, Nores has filed a defamation lawsuit in Florida, seeking $10 million in damages. In the lawsuit, Nores claims that Geoff Payne made false statements to Argentine officials, which he says were not only inaccurate but also omitted critical information. Nores also alleges that these statements damaged his reputation, leading to “mega proportions” of harm. 

The statements in question, as outlined in the lawsuit, claim that Nores was responsible for Liam’s care due to his struggles with addiction. Liam had been open about his issues with alcohol and drugs in past interviews, including a 2021 podcast with Steven Bartlett. However, Nores is disputing these claims, insisting that he was a close friend of Liam’s but was not in any official caretaker role. He argues that he never had any legal responsibility for Liam’s well-being.

Nores has stated that if he wins the lawsuit, he intends to donate all the proceeds to Liam’s son, Bear Payne. Liam shared his seven-year-old son with ex-partner Cheryl. However, Liam’s estate has reportedly criticized the idea of donating the money to Bear, calling it “pointless” and warning that the legal action could cause “irreparable damage” to the young child.

In the lawsuit, Nores recounts the nature of his relationship with Liam, describing it as a “dear mutual friendship” but reiterates that he was not responsible for Liam’s care. He claims that Liam was an independent adult who made his own decisions and that Nores never had a formal duty to oversee him. The businessman also argues that the statements made by Geoff Payne were false and misleading, and he insists that the damage to his reputation has been severe.

According to Rolling Stone, Nores sent a demand letter for a retraction to Geoff Payne’s legal team on January 8, 2025. He claims that he received a response two days later, but Liam’s estate declined to retract the statements. The estate’s response accused Nores of attempting to interfere with a police investigation by pressuring Geoff Payne to alter his evidence.

Nores is further seeking to support his claims with an email dated August 2024, which he allegedly sent to Liam, Geoff Payne, and Liam’s business manager. In the email, Nores claims that he had never had access to Liam’s finances and was merely a friend who helped Liam with various personal matters, including financing a private jet for the singer’s trip to South America. Nores also claimed that he never received any salary for his assistance, and his efforts were out of genuine concern for his friend.

Liam’s untimely passing in October left the music world in mourning, and his funeral in November 2024 in Buckinghamshire was attended by his fellow One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, along with his family and friends. After One Direction went on hiatus, Liam launched a successful solo career, releasing his debut album, *LP1*, in December 2019, which included hit songs like “Polaroid,” “Strip That Down,” and “For You.”

The ongoing defamation lawsuit between Roger Nores and Liam’s family has added to the emotional toll following Liam’s death. As the legal battle unfolds, many fans are left wondering how this new conflict will impact Liam’s legacy and the memory of his family.

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