EXCLUSIVE: Fresh Liam Payne Agony As Tragic One Direction Star's Suspected Drug Dealer Set to Get Off After 'Sealing Plea Deal'
Liam Payne's suspected drug dealer may walk away with a slap on the wrist.
May 4 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Liam Payne's death is casting a long and painful shadow once again, as a man accused of supplying drugs to the former One Direction star could avoid prison entirely after striking a plea agreement with prosecutors, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Payne, 31, died in October 2024 in a drug-fueled fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, during a trip that began as a visit with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, 27, to see his former bandmate perform.
Investigation Into Argentina Hotel Stay
Payne died in October 2024 following a fall from a hotel balcony.
In the months since, Argentine authorities have investigated the circumstances surrounding his death, focusing in part on allegations that drugs were supplied to the singer during his stay at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
Now, one of the central figures in the inquiry, hotel worker Ezequiel David Pereyra, 22, is said to be close to avoiding trial altogether.
Pereyra, who had been facing a potential sentence of up to 15 years if convicted of supplying cocaine to the singer, is said to have reached an agreement with prosecutors which would see the charge reduced to "facilitation for personal consumption (and) non-profit".
Under the proposed deal, he would receive a two-year suspended sentence, alongside community service and mandatory participation in a drug awareness program.
'A Trial Would Have Offered Some Clarity'
Ezequiel David Pereyra (not pictured) reached a plea agreement with prosecutors to avoid prison.
A source said: "For Liam's family and the people who cared about him most, this development is likely to land as a heavy blow – there's a growing feeling that the chance to see the case fully examined in court, with all the evidence laid out and scrutinized, is starting to fade.
"A trial would have offered some clarity, a clearer picture of what really happened in those final hours, and without that, there's a fear they may be left with more questions than answers."
The insider continued: "From where Liam's loved ones and friends stand, it also raises deeply troubling issues about accountability. There's concern that if this is resolved through a reduced charge and suspended sentence, no one will truly be held to account in a meaningful way for the circumstances surrounding his death. That sense of unfinished justice is something they may find very hard to come to terms with."
Also accused in the case, Braian Nahuel Paiz, rejected a similar legal arrangement offered by the state.
The insider added the implications of the apparent deal extend beyond Pereyra alone.
"There's an increasing sense of exasperation among those following the case that it's beginning to stall rather than move forward with any real urgency," they said. "From their perspective, what once seemed like a clear path toward a full hearing is now becoming uncertain, and that loss of momentum is deeply unsettling.
"If the case never makes it to court, there's a real risk that key details about what happened that night will never be properly examined or challenged. For the people still mourning Liam, that lack of clarity only intensifies the pain – it leaves them stuck with lingering doubts and the feeling that the full story may never come to light."
Another man accused in the case, waiter Braian Nahuel Paiz, 25, has reportedly been offered a similar arrangement but is understood to be unwilling to accept it.
Both men had previously been released from custody in December, with Pereyra placed under house arrest following an appeal citing his lack of a criminal record, stable address and family support.
Paiz's own restrictions were lifted last month.
Kate Cassidy's Heartbreaking Message
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Payne's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, shared a poignant video of the couple riding horses together.
Legal representatives for Pereyra, including his lawyer Augusto Maria Cassiau, are believed to have negotiated the revised charge in exchange for an admission that he provided drugs to Payne, while maintaining that he was not acting as a dealer.
Prosecutors have yet to secure a trial date, and no significant new evidence has emerged in recent months, further complicating the case.
The developments come as Cassidy shared a deeply personal glimpse into her final moments with Payne.
In a video posted on TikTok, filmed on the same day reports of the plea deal surfaced, the couple can be seen riding horses together during their trip.
She wrote: "Enjoy each moment life brings you. Because I didn't know this would be the last time I'd ever see my boyfriend again in this lifetime."
An autopsy confirmed Payne died from multiple trauma, including internal and external bleeding, after his fall.
The singer had remained in Argentina after Cassidy returned to the United States, extending what had initially been planned as a short visit.
