Liam Payne's Father Geoff Sued for Defamation by Late Singer's Pal Roger Nores After Being Charged with Manslaughter

Liam Payne’s father Geoff Payne is being sued by his late son’s friend Roger Nores for defamation.

In a lawsuit filed in Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and obtained by PEOPLE, the Argentinian businessman claims that Geoff made sworn statements that were “false, contained material omissions, and many parts were not based on personal knowledge” that have been shared in the media and caused “injury” and damages worth over $10 million.

The plaintiff also alleges that Geoff’s “sworn declarations” to Argentine officials, while made in another country, “accessed by persons in the Palm Beach County/Florida” area and caused harm in those locations. Rolling Stone was the first to report the news.

In the 263-page complaint, Nores also alleges that his friendship with the late musician was misrepresented and that he “did not have a legal duty to Liam.” Instead, he claims that
he and Liam were just “mutual dear friends.”

Nores states in the lawsuit that all “net financial proceeds of the judicial proceedings for the benefit of Liam Payne’s son,” Bear.

“All the proceeds will be donated to my friend’s son,” Nores told Rolling Stone on Thursday, Jan. 16. “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.”

According to Nores, his reputation was allegedly impacted in “mega proportions with extensive damages” due to Geoff’s statements.

On Jan. 8, the businessman claims he sent a defamation retraction letter to Geoff’s attorneys, and in a response from Jan. 10, included in the lawsuit, Liam’s estate declined to oblige and alleged that Nores was “seeking to interfere with a police investigation by pressuring [Geoff] to change his evidence,” and that they would “bring his actions to the attention of the Argentinian authorities.”

“The Estate could not take this matter more seriously,” the response from Liam’s estate reads. “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 (in the manner set out by your correspondence of 8 January 2025 or otherwise).”

Liam’s estate also claimed the lawsuit’s intent to donate proceeds from the lawsuit to Liam’s son was “pointless” and suggested that there would be “irreparable damage” caused to him.

Nores’ defamation lawsuit stems from statements made by the One Direction alum’s father on Oct. 22 and Oct. 26 to an Argentine prosecutor. 

At the time, Geoff claims that he was only able to speak with Liam through Nores and Liam’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. However, Nores alleges that Geoff’s family was able to speak with Liam via phone, laptop or bodyguard.

While the sworn declaration from the late musician’s father included that Nores was a part of a “care group” that was supposed to “keep Liam busy” since he “could not be left alone in the vulnerable situation in which he was,” the businessman denied almost every claim writing that he “never agreed to be the caretaker of Liam” and that they were solely friends.

Nores also denied Geoff’s claims that all of his “contacts” who were psychologists and psychiatrists monitored Liam during a 10-week stay in recovery while in Florida. Instead, he claims that it was Geoff who was a “self-declared caretaker” and that he “did not retain” them of his own will.

Nores also provided an email from August 2024 email where he allegedly told Liam, Geoff, and Liam’s business manager that he was “going to stay fully out of the picture and disconnected from now on” and that he “never had access” to Liam’s finances.

Allegedly, the plaintiff helped Liam land a spot as a judge on Netflix’s Building the Band and also paid for a private jet for the pop star to travel to South America.

“I never received any salary in spite of having paid for a big part of his expenses during his stay,” he wrote in a letter from Aug. 23, later adding, “I don’t need to get reimbursed for my out of pocket expenses as I helped him out as a friend. Please note that now that he is back in the U.K. I decided to stop helping him as I don’t live in Europe and frankly don’t have the time anymore due to my business schedule.”

Nores added: “I’m really concerned for his well-being while he is out there and I hope you can bring professional doctors to check on his health regularly as soon as possible as I did while he was out in the US,” Nores wrote. “I am going to stay fully out of the picture and disconnected from now on and I wish you all the best with Liam’s health and career.”

Reps for Liam’s estate and Geoff have not yet responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment.

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The latest lawsuit comes just several weeks after five people in Argentina were charged in connection with Liam’s Oct. 16 death at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires.

Per a Monday, Dec. 30 press release from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office, the hotel’s manager, “GAM,” its receptionist, “ERG,” and Payne’s friend “RLN” — whom the BBC reported were Gilda Martin, Esteban Grassi and Nores — were charged with manslaughter after Liam had a fatal fall from the third floor of a hotel balcony at the age of 31.

At the time, “EDP,” a hotel employee, and “BNP,” a waiter — whom the BBC reported were Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz — were charged with supplying drugs.

Nore was charged with manslaughter after allegedly “failing to fulfill his duties of care, assistance and help” towards Payne after he “abandoned him” knowing he suffered from “multiple addictions.” Meanwhile, “GAM” was charged with manslaughter for allegedly being unable to prevent Payne from being taken to his hotel room just before his death.

“ERG” was charged with manslaughter for allegedly asking three people to “drag” Payne, who could not stand on his own, to his room, instead of keeping him safe, per the statement.

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