Liam Payne spent his final hours with an Argentine energy fund boss who apologised for the singer being ‘high’ before storming out minutes before he fell to his death, witnesses revealed today. 

Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores, 35, was seen trying to get the One Direction star to leave his hotel room in Buenos Aires and shared his frustration with the 31-year-old’s drug use to other guests. 

The revelation that he was with Payne earlier in the day – possibly even in his room which was littered with drugs paraphernalia – means that Argentinian police will be interested in talking to Mr Nores.

One guest, ‘Rebecca’, revealed: ‘Liam [Payne] was making a big show of introducing himself to everyone and so Roger introduced himself to the group and said, ”Hi, I’m Roger”.

‘We were sitting in the lobby trying to get into our rooms and then Liam and Roger appeared. This was at 4.53pm. I turned to my friend I said, ”the situation is crazy”.

‘Roger seemed definitely irritated with Liam because Liam was clearly high [on drugs]. Roger was rolling his eyes at Liam and then he gave us a look as if to say; ”err sorry, can you believe this guy?’

‘So, Roger was standing in the lift, trying to get Liam to go up to his room but Liam was trying to get fan attention. At some point Roger fake-chocked Liam and they were laughing.

‘Roger was holding the lift door open urging Liam to go to his room. You can see Roger’s arm holding the ”door open” button on the lift. Then they took the elevator up to the third floor.’

Rebecca, not her real name, a 28-year-old IT consultant from Washington, said she believes Mr Nores was trying to get Payne to check out of his hotel because they had overstayed their booking. 

‘My friend was supposed to check into his room but Liam was refusing to check out,’ she said. ‘And as we saw from the pictures later, Liam was on a bender, and he was refusing to check out.

‘Some time later Roger stormed out of the hotel and apologised for Liam’s behaviour. He said, ”I’m sorry about Liam, he just gets so high”. Roger then walked out and left the hotel.

‘He was totally normal, he dressed normally, and he was acting normally. Roger was just a member of Liam’s entourage who was trying to manage this rock star who was being impossible.

‘Then he left the hotel. I don’t think Roger was there when it all happened [Liam Payne fell to his death].’ 

The former CEO of energy investment company Stoneway Capital has been seen frequently with the singer in recent weeks, and at one stage a Buenos Aires gossip magazine even suggested they could be in a relationship.

Payne was forced to deny any relationship after the pair were photographed holding hands as he and their group of friends walked out of a bar.

Fans instantly rushed to social media to speculate about their friendship. Roger had also joined Payne in the studio, with many pointing out that the pair were spending a lot of time together.

However, their friendship was purely platonic he said, denying reports speculating otherwise in local media.

Payne said: ‘There was a lot of things in magazines saying me and Roger are gay together – not true, unfortunately.’

The hitmaker went on to say: ‘Although, if I was, I might go for him, who knows. But I’m not, so I won’t and he’s not – so I know he won’t, either. That clears that up!’

Mr Nores, named as one of Forbes Magazine ‘Under 30s’ in the energy sector in 2017, had his company which owned four power stations bought out by a Canadian power company.

Payne’s account is one of only two people followed by Mr Nores on Instagram.

Earlier today, Rebecca revealed the shocking admission Payne made to her just minutes before he fell to his death. 

The young woman claimed to MailOnline that Payne told her: ‘I used to be in a boy band – that’s why I’m so f**ked up’.

Rebecca’s surprise 30-minute long encounter with Payne took place in the foyer of the hotel, where she was staying for a wedding. Payne had been due to check out on Wednesday morning, but still had not done so by late afternoon, she claimed.

Rebecca took her photos from 4.26pm local time (8.26pm UK time) – which is also when Payne made the ‘boy band’ comment. Just 36 minutes later, hotel staff raised the alarm at 5.04pm following Payne’s fall. An ambulance arrived at 5.11pm and Payne was then certified dead.

Rebecca told MailOnline in an exclusive interview: ‘One of my friends was due to get his suite, so the hotel staff were a little on edge because he still hadn’t checked out at 4.30pm, but also because of his behaviour.

‘I came into the hotel, and he was waiting by the elevator, and it was so clear he wanted someone to recognise him, there was something a bit desperate about him.

‘I was with my friends and we did know who he was, but none of us were that bothered.

‘When the lift came he suddenly said to us without any prompting: ‘Yes, I’m Liam!’ really drawing it out, and then said ‘All right come on you lot, get in the elevator with me, I love a cuddle’.

‘I decided against it and waited for the next one, but some of the other girls got in with him and half way up, he started saying ‘Oh, you’re Americans, I live in West Palm Beach.

‘I know Americans. You guys are f***ing crazy! You guys are f***ing dangerous!