Thomas Markle Sr. arrested on federal child pornography charge after FBI raid

Thomas Markle Sr., the father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was taken into custody by federal agents in Florida on Friday after a raid on his nursing home. He was charged with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material, a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. After appearing in federal court, he was released without bond and placed on home detention at the memory-care facility, while a judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation.

The investigation began after Markle Jr. reported finding hundreds of images depicting child sexual abuse in boxes at his father's former home in the Philippines. Philippine authorities confirmed they were assisting the FBI, and the U.S. Justice Department filed a criminal complaint on November 5. Subsequent FBI searches of two storage units in California, rented by Markle Sr. since 2008, yielded about 78 items, including film negatives, slides and books containing suspected illegal material. A separate search of a storage unit in Mexico reportedly uncovered additional content.

Markle Sr. denied the allegations, stating, "I’m shocked, I’m hurt, and I’m very upset that my son is making these accusations against me. I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."

Meghan Markle released a statement expressing distress over the allegations and reaffirming her decision to keep her father away from her children for their protection. She said, "I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," and added that she hopes justice will be served and the safety of children remains the priority.

The case follows a long public estrangement between Meghan and her father, which began in 2018 ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry and has included multiple public statements and legal actions related to privacy and family matters.