Liam Payne's friend, Roger Nores, is suing the late singer's father for defamation.
Following the shock death of Liam at the age of 31 - who fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires in October last year - Nores has been charged with abandonment by authorities in Argentina.
The businessman has claimed that the One Direction star's father, Geoff Payne, has smeared him in the media in the weeks and months since the Little Things singer died.
It has been reported that Geoff told authorities in Argentina that Nores had "full responsibility" for Liam's life in the hours before he died.
Hitting back, Nores told TMZ, "Geoff needs to backtrack on his sworn statement as he very well knows I wasn't Liam's nurse or caretaker.
"Liam, who I miss every day, was my dear friend and an independent, brilliant, respectful free man who did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted."
The outlet reports that Nores has filed a lawsuit against Geoff, in which he argues he was never paid to look after the star, and, "never agreed to be and was never the caretaker of Liam."
The lawsuit is said to contain emails, submitted by Nores, which he claims show him urging Geoff to do more to support his son - only for his advice to allegedly be ignored.
Nores also claims that Liam's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy - who the singer lived with in Florida - was in a better position to be aware of his "activities and needs" ahead of his death.
If he wins his case, Nores has vowed to donate any money that he is awarded to the late One Direction star's son, Bear Payne, aged seven.
