Thomas Markle, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, has been arrested in Florida and charged with possessing child sexual abuse material after investigators searched two storage units in California. The case began with a disturbing discovery among his belongings in the Philippines, reportedly made by a family member, and has now become a federal investigation involving the FBI.

Markle, 82, was taken into custody on Friday, November 6, and faces one federal count of possession of child pornography. Prosecutors say officers seized around 78 items from the two storage units, including slides, film negatives and books containing suspected abuse material. The allegations have caused further distress for Meghan, who has previously said she kept her father away from her children to protect them. 

FBI traced the investigation to two storage units

According to the criminal complaint, US investigators received information in October from witnesses about suspected material among Markle’s possessions in the Philippines. One person had signed an affidavit describing its discovery, while another told the FBI that Markle rented a storage unit in the Los Angeles area. Agents obtained search warrants and examined two units registered to Markle. He had rented both since 2008 and had continued paying for them, with the latest payments made in October this year, according to the Justice Department.

The FBI seized approximately 27 items from one unit and 51 from the second. The materials included slides, film negatives and books. The affidavit says investigators identified suspected child sexual abuse images among the film negatives and describes photographs which they allege show Markle with prepubescent girls. A witness who had known him since the 1970s identified the adult man in two images as Markle, according to the court document.

The investigation is continuing and the material has not all been reviewed. The affidavit says agents had identified around 18 suspected images in one collection of film negatives at the time it was prepared. The 78 items seized should not be mistaken for 78 confirmed images. The criminal complaint sets out allegations supporting the charge; it is not a finding of guilt.

Arrested at Florida care facility

Markle was arrested in Lakeland, Florida, where he had been living after returning from the Philippines earlier this year. He appeared before a federal magistrate in Tampa on Friday and did not enter a plea. He was released on bond and returned to his assisted-living facility under home detention and electronic monitoring. Conditions also restrict his travel and access to internet-connected devices, according to reports of the court hearing.

He is required to undergo health evaluations. The case is expected to proceed in California, where the charge was filed.  If convicted, Markle could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The US Department of Justice has stressed that the complaint contains allegations only.

Meghan said she kept her children away to protect them

The arrest follows weeks of reports about the investigation in the Philippines, where Markle had been living. The Associated Press reported that Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, found a collection of suspected abuse images while clearing out their father’s former home in Cebu City and contacted police and the FBI. Markle previously denied the accusations, describing them as “sick lies”, according to Reuters. Meghan said she was “deeply distressed” by the allegations and referred to a letter sent to London police in 2018 which contained what she described as troubling claims about her father.

She said she had been assured the allegations were being investigated. Meghan also addressed years of speculation about the estrangement, saying her decision to keep her father away from her and her children had been made to protect them.  There has been no public comment from Meghan’s representative on Friday’s arrest. The FBI investigation remains active, while the criminal case will determine whether the allegations can be proved in court.

British TV personality Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape and three counts of sexual assault following a four-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.

The 51-year-old was remanded in custody after the verdict on Thursday, November 5, and is due to be sentenced on Monday, November 9. He had denied the charges but was convicted of four offences involving four women. The jury acquitted him of two further rape charges and one count of attempted indecent assault.

From comedy star to controversial online personality

Brand became one of Britain’s best-known entertainers through stand-up comedy, television and radio. He presented Channel 4’s Big Brother’s Big Mouth, hosted BBC radio programmes and appeared in Hollywood films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek. He was also married to American pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.

In later years, he moved away from mainstream entertainment and built a substantial online following through YouTube videos discussing politics, religion, health and conspiracy theories.

A decade of allegations

The criminal case centred on allegations of sexual offences dating from 1999 to 2009, when Brand was at the height of his entertainment career.

Six women gave evidence during the trial. The prosecution argued that Brand had used his fame and position in the entertainment industry to exploit women, while Brand maintained that his sexual encounters had been consensual.

The jury found him guilty of one rape and three sexual assaults involving four women. The prosecution’s case included incidents involving women connected to his comedy performances, a London radio station and a Channel 4 production.

The case followed a lengthy investigation by the Metropolitan Police, involving more than 100 witnesses, over 400 witness statements and a review of more than 1,400 documents. Allegations against Brand first became public in September 2023 following investigations by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

A history of public controversy

Today’s verdict is not the first time Brand has found himself at the centre of a major public scandal. In 2001, MTV sacked him after he arrived at work dressed as Osama bin Laden the day after the September 11 terrorist attacks. He later spoke openly about his past drug addiction.

Perhaps his most notorious broadcasting controversy came in 2008, in what became known as Sachsgate. Brand and fellow presenter Jonathan Ross left offensive voicemail messages for actor Andrew Sachs, making jokes about Brand having slept with his granddaughter. The broadcast triggered tens of thousands of complaints, resulted in the BBC being fined £150,000 and led to Brand and the programme’s controller resigning. Ross was suspended.

Brand’s public profile changed considerably after the September 2023 allegations, with broadcasters reviewing their associations with him and police launching their investigation.

The convictions now represent the most serious development in a career that has repeatedly attracted controversy, taking Brand from one of Britain’s most recognisable comedy stars to a convicted sex offender. Brand now faces sentencing, which could be life in prison.