Why is Roger Nores suing Liam Payne’s father? Defamation lawsuit filed by the late singer’s friend explored

Liam Payne's close friend Roger Nores is suing the late singer's dad, Geoff Payne, for defamation. Nores accuses Payne senior of making "false declarations" about his supposed responsibility towards the late singer.

The Argentinian businessman filed the lawsuit for approximately $10 million in Florida this Wednesday. He has accused Geoff Payne of sharing these declarations in the form of sworn testimonies to the Buenos Aires police. As reported by the Mirror, Geoff Payne told officials that Nores had

"full responsibility for Liam's care during this last period when I was not there"

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Roger Nores pledges to donate all the funds earned in restitution against Liam Payne's father to the singer's 7-year-old son

Per the Mirror, Roger Nores is refuting all claims that he was in charge of Liam Payne's wellbeing. He maintained that while he had always been "dear friends" with the singer, he "never agreed to be and was never the caretaker of Liam." He claims that these statements have now culminated in "extensive damages" to his public standing.

Nores, who is a 35-year-old billionaire, is currently grappling with manslaughter charges. As reported by New York Post, he also denied the allegations that he gave the late star “any recreational drugs” or “controlled any prescribed medications” before he plunged to his death.

Furthermore, the filing states that all of the money won from the lawsuit would be redirected to Liam Payne's son, Bear, 7, whom the late singer shared with his former partner Cheryl Cole. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Nores said:

"All the proceeds will be donated to my friend’s son. Geoff needs to backtrack on his [sworn] statement as he very well knows I wasn’t Liam’s nurse or caretaker. Liam, who I miss every day, was my dear friend and an independent, brilliant, respectful, free man who did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.”

Roger Nores and Liam Payne were together on October 16, 2024, the day the singer died. Payne fell to his death from the third floor of the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

When investigations were carried out, Roger Nores was named a "representative" for the singer. The Mirror report added:

"(Nores was) held criminally responsible for the death of Liam James Payne through the execution of actions and omissions in the period prior to and contemporaneous that culminated in Payne falling from the balcony of room No. 310 corresponding to the Casa Sur Palermo hotel."

Per the Mirror, the charges also read, in part, as follows:

"The accused N. failed to comply with his duties of care, assistance and aid that he had towards Payne due not only to a pre-existing legal duty but also to specific functions of guidance and personal accompaniment, previously coordinated and accepted by the relevance and activities of his profession, abandoning him to his fate, knowing that he was incapable of caring for himself, knowing that the accused suffered from multiple previous addictions - to alcohol and cocaine - and having full knowledge of the state of intoxication, vulnerability and helplessness in which he found himself."

The autopsy later found that Payne had traces of drugs in his system, including crack and "pink cocaine." At the time, Roger Nores was also accused of abandoning his friend before his untimely death, which he has since categorically denied, as reported by New York Post:

"I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” Nores said in a statement late last year. There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could have never imagined something like this would happen. I’ve given my statement to the prosecutor on Oct 17 as a witness and I haven’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor since," he added.

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As reported by the Mirror, Geoff Payne's lawyers have firmly denied Roger Nores' claims that he had been defamed at the hands of the former.