Argentinian police arrest man for supplying drugs to former “One Direction” star Liam Payne before his death

A man has been arrested for supplying drugs to former “One Direction” star Liam Payne before he fell to his death from the third floor of his Buenos Aires hotel room last year.

Braian Paiz, who is accused of having supplied cocaine to Payne, is one of five defendants indicted in connection with the 31-year-old singer’s death. He was arrested by Argentinian police on Friday. He is one of two men accused of providing drugs to Payne.  

Paiz’ lawyer confirmed to CBS News that he had been detained.

An Argentine judge previously confirmed the charges against five people. The other three people — a businessman who was with Payne and two managers of the hotel — are facing charges of manslaughter.

The two managers saw Payne intoxicated and unable to stand in the hotel lobby before his death, according to a news release from the prosecutor’s office, but allowed him to go up to his room, which had a balcony, instead of monitoring him until medical help could arrive. 

Payne’s autopsy said he died from multiple injuries and external bleeding. Toxicology tests after his death found he had “traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed antidepressant” in his body before his death. Prosecutors ruled out the possibility he died by suicide. 

One Direction was among the most successful boy bands of recent times. It announced an indefinite hiatus in 2016 and Payne — like his former bandmates Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson — pursued a solo career.