A waiter implicated in the death of pop star Liam Payne has been taken into custody, according to reports from Argentinian media. Braian Paiz, 24, is among five individuals charged in connection with Payne’s death on Monday, December 30, and was summoned to appear in court.
The 31-year-old singer passed away on October 16,2024, after falling from the third-floor balcony of his room at the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires. Paiz, along with hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra, faces charges of supplying drugs on two occasions, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.
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In an interview with a local news channel, Paiz admitted to using drugs, including cocaine, with Payne but maintained that he neither supplied the drugs nor accepted money for them.
Argentinian media outlets, as cited by Sky News, reported that Paiz was arrested at his residence in Ingeniero Budge on Friday, January 3. Additionally, police reportedly raided the home of Pereyra, 21, but he was not found at the location.
Paiz’s lawyer, Fernando Madeo Facente, earlier told the BBC that he advised his client not to surrender following the charges. Facente argued that Paiz did not pose a flight risk, had not obstructed the investigation, and therefore pre-trial detention was unwarranted.
Among others charged is Argentinian businessman Rogelio Nores, also known as “Roger.” Nores has stated that he left the CasaSur hotel 40 minutes before Payne’s death and has denied any involvement in the incident.
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