A court in Argentina has indicted two hotel employees, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, on charges that they supplied narcotics to British singer Harry Styles’ friend, Payne, before his death. The two men have been ordered into custody due to the serious nature of the charge, which carries a sentence of four to 15 years in prison.
Lawyers for the defendants claim their clients are innocent and will appeal the charges. Paiz’s lawyer, Fernando Madeo, described his client as “not guilty” and said he would not be detained before trial. However, other defendants accused of negligence in Payne’s death were not ordered into custody.
Payne was a member of the British boy band One Direction, which achieved international success in 2010. His death in October sparked an outpouring of grief from fans and collaborators. Styles and several former bandmates attended his private funeral in England.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/30/arts/music/liam-payne-indictments.html