The father of Meghan Markle has been arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse material.
Thomas Markle was arrested by federal agents near Tampa, Florida, The Associated Press reported.
Sources who confirmed the arrest were not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
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The Duchess of Sussex said last month that she was “deeply distressed” by allegations that child sexual abuse images had been found at her father’s former home. Thomas Markle Jr., Meghan Markle’s half-brother, said he found “hundreds if not thousands” of images in boxes at the home in the Philippines as he was cleaning out their father’s home, the British tabloid the Sun reported in October. CNN reported, at the time, that images were also found on computer hard drives. The younger Thomas Markle said he told the authorities in the Philippines and the FBI earlier this year.
Images published by the Daily Mail and the Sun show Markle, Sr. handcuffed in a wheelchair.
Thomas Markle, Sr. has denied the allegations, calling them “sick lies,” the BBC reported.
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