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Thomas Markle charged over child sexual abuse material allegations
Thomas Markle Sr, the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has been arrested in Florida and charged with one federal count of possession of child sexual abuse material, US prosecutors have announced.
The US Attorney's Office for the Central District of California named the defendant as Thomas Wayne Markle, 82, of Lakeland, Florida. Its statement on Friday, 6 November, said the charge was brought in a federal criminal complaint.
The allegations have not been proved in court. A criminal complaint is an accusation, not a conviction, and Markle is presumed innocent unless proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
What prosecutors say
According to the Justice Department statement, FBI agents searched two Los Angeles-area storage units registered to Markle after obtaining judicially authorised warrants.
Prosecutors said agents seized approximately 78 items containing suspected child sexual abuse material. The statement attributes the account of the searches and alleged material to an affidavit filed with the complaint.
The FBI is investigating the case. Prosecutors said Markle was expected to make his initial appearance on Friday in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Tampa. No outcome from that appearance was confirmed in the sources checked for this report.
Markle previously denied the allegations
Markle has previously strongly denied allegations that he possessed child sexual abuse images, describing them as "sick lies", according to the BBC and CBS News.
That earlier denial concerned allegations reported before Friday's US charge. It should not be read as a newly issued response to the federal complaint.
Authorities in the Philippines had already been examining devices allegedly removed from his former home. The BBC reported on 29 October that police had obtained a warrant to examine the devices after they were handed over by his son, Thomas Markle Jr.
The two men are distinct: the defendant named in Friday's US announcement is Thomas Markle Sr, Meghan's father, not her half-brother.
What happens next
The US case will proceed through the courts. The Justice Department said the charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison if Markle is convicted. That is a maximum set by law, not a sentence imposed or a prediction of the outcome.
This report covers the criminal allegations and the authorities' announcement. It does not identify any child or reproduce any alleged abuse material.
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Official announcement: US Attorney’s Office, Central District of California / X.
