One of the suspects being investigated over Liam Payne’s death has insisted he did not supply the pop star with drugs or accept any money from him.
Braian Nahuel Paiz, an Argentinian waiter, appeared on local TV on Saturday (9 November) where he made a number of claims about the time he allegedly spent with the former One Direction singer.
Paiz, who is suspected of being Payne’s “dealer” in an ongoing probe by local authorities, claimed he met the “Strip That Down” singer, 31, in his hotel twice before he fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room on 16 October.
The 24-year-old said he met Payne for the first time at the restaurant where he worked, later exchanging contact details while the pop star dined with friends.
Speaking to journalist Guillermo Panizza for Telefe Noticias, Paiz claimed that his home had been searched but that he had yet to be questioned by investigators.
“I never supplied Liam with drugs,” he said, according to the translated interview. “Liam’s first contact with me was at my place of work.
“We swapped details and saw each other later that night. It was all normal. He came down from his hotel room to fetch me because I had got lost.”
He continued: “We got together there and he showed me some of the music he was going to bring out. I’ve heard people saying he was taking drugs, but the truth is that when he got to the restaurant where I was working he was already under the effects of drugs and he didn’t actually eat anything.”
Paiz went on to claim that he spent the evening with Payne, whom he alleged was consuming cocaine while he smoked marijuana.
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“We took drugs together, but I never took drugs to him or accepted any money,” he said.
Three people, including Paiz, are currently being investigated in connection with Payne’s death. Investigators did not identify the suspects by name.
Prosecutor Andrés Madrea said in a statement: “Illicit conduct was discovered from which three people were charged with the crimes of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.”
Paiz’s interview comes after Payne’s “close friend”, Argentinian businessman Rogelio “Roger” Nores, hit back at claims that he was one of the three suspects under investigation.
Speaking to MailOnline last week, he claimed to have left the Casa Sur hotel in Buenos Aires, where Payne was staying, 40 minutes before his death. He denied any involvement in the tragedy.
“I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” he said.
“There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left. I could never have imagined something like this would happen.”
Nores said he had given his statement to the prosecutor on 17 October as a witness and had not spoken to “any police officer or prosecutor ever since”.
“I wasn’t Liam’s manager,” he said, “[Payne] was just my very dear friend and please refer to the email I sent to Liam and his team on 23 August.
“I’m really heartbroken with this tragedy and I’ve been missing my friend every day.”
Early toxicology reports found that the former One Direction star and solo artist had “multiple substances” in his system when he died. The local prosecutor’s office is currently investigating his death.
Prosecutors appear to have ruled out third party involvement and “self-harm”, according to the lengthy statement released on Thursday (8 November), after speculation over whether Payne had taken his own life.
