Man arrested for supplying drugs to Liam Payne, Argentine police say

BUENOS AIRES – Argentine police on January 3 arrested one of two men accused of supplying drugs to British singer Liam Payne before fell and died from the third floor of his hotel room in Buenos Aires.

Braian Paiz, accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants charged in connection with the death of the former One Direction pop star, 31, in October.

Three of the five were charged with manslaughter and the other two with supplying illegal drugs, prosecutors said earlier this week.

Prosecutors said Payne had used cocaine, alcohol and a prescription antidepressant before falling to his death from the balcony of his room at the Casa Sur Hotel.

Paiz, 24, is accused of supplying drugs to Payne two days before his death.

In November, Paiz denied in a television interview that he gave drugs to Payne, although he said he met the pop star and spent time with him at his hotel.

Payne had spoken publicly about his struggle with substance abuse and coping with fame from a young age.

His death caused a global outpouring of pain from family, former bandmates and fans, and thousands gathered in cities around the world to offer their condolences.

One Direction, one of the world’s highest-grossing live acts in the 2010s, went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

Payne enjoyed some solo success before his career stalled. AFP