Liam Payne’s father, Geoff, has found himself in the legal hot seat, courtesy of Roger Nores, the late singer’s friend who’s probably wishing he’d stayed home and binge-watched Netflix instead of hanging out with Liam.
What’s the Beef?
Roger, who’s already been tangled up in legal drama for his alleged role in Liam’s death, has decided to add some extra spice to the stew by suing Geoff for defamation. Why? Because Geoff reportedly made some, let’s say, less-than-flattering comments about Roger to Argentinian officials. According to Roger, these statements were about as factual as a tabloid headline claiming aliens stole your grandma’s pie recipe.
In his lawsuit, Roger claims Geoff’s remarks were “false, full of holes big enough to drive a truck through, and based on as much personal knowledge as my cat has of astrophysics.” Oh, and these juicy tidbits somehow made their way to the media, which Roger says caused him “injury.” Emotional injury? Ego injury? Who knows—but he’s slapping a $10 million price tag on it.
The Palm Beach Problem
Roger also insists Geoff’s statements somehow caused him harm all the way in Florida. How? Maybe the Floridian airwaves carry drama exceptionally well. Either way, Roger isn’t letting this slide.
Just Friends, Bro
In what might be the saddest friend-zone statement of the year, Roger’s lawsuit clarifies that he and Liam were “dear friends” and nothing more. Forget being a caretaker or nurse—Roger says he was just the guy who shared a beer with Liam and probably argued over whose turn it was to pay for pizza.
A Donation Nobody Asked For
To add a philanthropic twist, Roger says any cash he wins from this lawsuit will go to Liam’s son, Bear. A nice touch, right? Well, not so fast. Geoff’s lawyers are rolling their eyes so hard they might sprain something, calling the whole lawsuit pointless and a move that would cause “irreparable damage” to Bear. Translation: Geoff’s team isn’t buying it.
Legal Clapbacks
When Roger sent a defamation retraction letter, Geoff’s lawyers basically replied with a big, fat “nope.” They accused Roger of trying to meddle in an ongoing police investigation and warned him they’d snitch to the Argentinian authorities. This is the legal equivalent of “I’m telling Mom!”
The Bigger Picture
Let’s not forget the other drama swirling around. Five people, including Roger, have been charged in connection to Liam’s death. Roger’s charge got downgraded from “abandonment followed by death” to “negligent homicide,” which sounds slightly less grim but still isn’t something you’d want on your resume.
The Final Word
While Roger remains stuck in Argentina, probably rethinking all his life choices, Geoff’s team is digging in for a fight. As for Bear? He’s probably too busy being adorable to care about any of this.
Stay tuned, because this saga is bound to have more plot twists than a daytime soap opera.
