Liam Payne’s friend, a hotel employee and an alleged drug dealer have reportedly been charged in connection to the former One Direction singer’s death.
The friend, who was not identified in local Argentine news outlets but reportedly presented himself as Payne’s manager, was charged with abandonment for allegedly failing to inform the late singer’s family that he had suffered a drug relapse, La Nacion reported Wednesday.
Police reportedly tried to get in touch with the Argentine businessman when Payne fell to his death on Oct. 16 via a cell number that hotel managers had provided but he did not pick up the phone.
A lawyer from a major firm reportedly showed up later to inquire whether the friend faced any charges, which led to the man testifying as a witness.
A judge then decided that the friend had allegedly breached his duty of care with respect to Payne. He now faces a sentence of two to six years in prison for abandonment.
Meanwhile, the hotel employee and the alleged drug dealer have been charged with supplying Payne with narcotics.
The identities of the two suspects has not been released but it has been reported that the hotel employee was fired from CasaSur Palermo Hotel, where Payne had been staying as a guest and later died after falling from his room’s balcony.
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that authorities conducted raids as part of their investigation of the three suspects.
Police searched hotel lockers, reviewed security footage and reportedly obtained items of interest such as “documents and videos” from the lobby and courtyard.
According to La Nacion, investigators discovered the alleged drug dealer’s phone number during this search, and shortly after went to the man’s home in Lomas de Zamora, Argentina, as part of their probe.
Authorities reportedly seized from the alleged drug dealer’s home a jar of marijuana, nine cell phones, three personal computers and two portable electronic storage devices.
It is believed the hotel employee contacted the alleged drug dealer to get illegal substances for Payne.
Sources told TMZ last month that investigators were zeroing in on a soap box found in the “Night Changes” singer’s trashed hotel room because they suspected it was used to “secretly hand off” drugs.
A toxicology report showed Payne had multiple drugs in his system when he died, including pink cocaine, which is a drug cocktail typically mixed with ecstasy, ketamine, caffeine and a psychedelic used to treat sexual dysfunction known as 2-CB or Tusi.
He had allegedly also ingested cocaine, crack and benzodiazepine, a depressant, per the report.
Photos investigators took of troubled star’s room also showed drug paraphernalia scattered over a table, including clonazepam, which is used to control epilepsy, involuntary muscle spasms or panic disorders.
However, Payne’s cause of death has been attributed to the multiple traumas, internal and external bleeding he sustained as a result of his fatal fall.
Story is developing ….