ROGELIO “Roger” Nores, friend of Liam Payne, is allegedly being held under a travel ban and has had thousands of pounds worth of assets seized.
The multimillionaire was reportedly charged yesterday with negligent homicide, the Spanish equivalent to manslaughter, over Liam’s tragic death in October.
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Liam’s businessman pal Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores has allegedly been charged with negligent homicide
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Liam Payne (left) heads out to dinner with friend Roger Nores (right) and his dad Geoff (back right)Credit: BackGrid
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Roger Nores (left) saw the One Direction star just before his fatal fall from a Buenos Aires balcony
Nores, a 35-year old businessman, was linked to Liam in recent years both personally and professionally and was with him on the day that he died.
They reportedly first met in 2020 at a dinner hosted by the former editor of British Vogue, with Nores later supporting Liam with his addiction battle.
He claims he left the CasaSur Palermo hotel around an hour before the singer’s death on October 16.
Earlier this month he reportedly refused to answer questions over Liam’s fall and denied claims he abandoned his friend before tragedy struck.
Nores – who dated singer Lula Mirandok – rose to fame in 2017 when he was featured in a Forbes “30 Under 30” list for his work in the energy industry.
The Sun previously reported that Roger was heading up Liam’s career as his de facto manager and resigned in early 2024 over a deal with Los Angeles-based talent agency CAA.
Nores has been subject to claims that he worked as Liam’s “de facto” manager – which he strongly denies.
He said after Liam’s death: “I could have never imagined something like this would happen.
“I gave my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since.
“I wasn’t Liam’s manager. He was just my very dear friend.”
Toxicology exams revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and prescribed antidepressants’ were present in Liam’s body at the time of death.
Shortly before he died, he was seen “behaving erratically”, and witnesses claimed he had to be carried back to his room after smashing his laptop.
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Nores has denied claims that he left his friend alone during this time and insisted in a bombshell interview just weeks ago that Liam was “playful, happy and fine” when he left.
The businessman told TMZ: “He was in good spirits, he was talking to 10 or 15 Americans that were here for a wedding.
“He was perfectly balanced, talking to everybody, having fun, laughing, so nothing out of the ordinary. So that’s when I said, ‘bye’.”
Earlier reports suggested Nores was the person accused of “abandonment of a person followed by death”, as announced by Argentinian public prosecutors.
It carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison under Argentinian law.
It was revealed on Sunday that he had been charged with negligent homicide alongside four other people charged in connection with Liam’s death.
Former hotel waiter Braian Paiz is one of those charged in connection with the fatal fall – after allegedly admitting to doing drugs with Liam.
The pair were detained ahead of trial with Judge Laura Bruniard giving them 24 business hours to appear in court.
Paiz, 24, and Pereyram 21, have been accused of selling Liam drugs on two occasions mere days before his death and both have been refused bail.
The crime they face prosecution on carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence if convicted.
Nores joined Liam and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy in Argentina in the days prior to the tragedy.
The multimillionaire has previously said: “I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel 3 times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened.
“There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left.”
A few days after Liam’s death, officials said that it was likely the former One Direction ace “did not know what he was doing” in the moments before his fatal balcony plunge.
They said this was due to the “state he was in”.
This was later supported by the official police report on his death which said he suffered “catastrophic injuries incompatible with life”.
Liam didn’t “adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself” as he fell, the report added.
Officials said this could be inferred to mean he may have been in a state of semi or even total unconsciousness at the time.
The Sun previously reported that Roger “was not welcome” at Liam’s funeral which took place in Wolverhampton.
A source said: “Liam’s family want his funeral to go off without a hitch and right now opinions are strained when it comes to Roger.
“It’s true he and Liam had a bond but he’s never been popular when it comes to Liam’s wider circle.
“Due to the ongoing investigation in Argentina, he’s not welcome at this week’s service.”
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The CasaSur hotel in Palermo where Liam was staying when he died
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The former One Direction star died aged 31
