Two previously undisclosed storage units rented by Thomas Markle Sr in California could be searched as part of an investigation into alleged child sexual abuse material, it was reported today. The units are said to contain belongings belonging to his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex, as well as memorabilia from his own career.
Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, has reportedly given the FBI the location of two storage units at a facility in Los Angeles.
‘I dread to think what they might find,’ he said last night, as separate investigations continue in the Philippines and Mexico.
Our News Outlet said it found a collection of alleged child abuse images inside a storage locker rented by Meghan’s father in Rosarito, Mexico. The Mail alerted the FBI last week, after which Mexican authorities reportedly raided the facility.
Police in the Philippines are also said to be ‘very close’ to filing formal charges against Mr Markle after alleged child abuse images were reportedly discovered at his apartment.
Tom Jr claims his father told him around 2011 that he had two storage units ‘stuffed to the brim’ with Meghan’s former furniture and possessions from her time at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
The former Hollywood lighting director also kept boxes of memorabilia from his career in the units. Those belongings are now expected to be examined as part of the investigation.
Tom Jr, who was reportedly interviewed by the FBI for two hours, told The Sun: ‘My father told me about the two units years ago. He’s had them for about 15 years.
‘One is stuffed to the brim with Meghan’s old furniture. The other is packed with boxes, books, photographs and memorabilia from his Hollywood career, along with items from Meghan’s college days and God knows what else.
‘I dread to think what the FBI might find, particularly in light of what has already been discovered in the Philippines and Mexico.’
Meghan, pictured as a teenager, has been estranged from her father, Thomas Markle Sr, for years. Two previously unknown storage units he rented, reportedly containing some of Meghan’s possessions and his own personal mementoes, are expected to be searched
The Daily Mail alerted the FBI after uncovering sexually explicit books, magazines and photographs, including images of Asian females who appeared notably young, in a Mexican storage unit rented by Mr Markle
Markle Sr with an unidentified young woman among his belongings
Mr Markle strongly denies the allegations, telling Our News Outlet that they are ‘sick lies’.
He is now living in a Florida care home specialising in dementia care, near his daughter Samantha.
An insider claimed: ‘Since the meeting, she has stopped discussing the allegations on social media.’
Mr Markle and Samantha reportedly held three-hour ‘crisis talks’ yesterday.
Philippine detectives have said they found ‘explicit content’ on digital devices allegedly belonging to the Duchess of Sussex’s father, including footage of ‘male and female minors’.
A warrant was granted on Thursday to examine material recovered from four storage boxes at the 82-year-old’s flat in Cebu.
Officers spent the weekend reviewing the devices, which reportedly included nine mobile phones, three SD cards, five hard drives, a camera and another non-digital item.
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Major General Wilson Asueta of the Philippine National Police said this week: ‘We were able to find files consisting of CSEAM [Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material].
‘These will undergo further analysis. They include videos of male and female minors, as well as material involving people who are not minors engaged in sexual activities, along with other explicit content.
‘Digital forensic analysis is continuing, while our field investigators are working to verify the information provided to us. The investigation is moving in the right direction.’
He said none of the children shown in the videos appeared to be from the Philippines, adding that they appeared to be ‘Asian [or] Caucasian’.
The Sun reported last night that police were ‘very close’ to bringing formal charges against Meghan’s father as a result.
Mr Markle’s son Tom Jr, who lives in the Philippines, reportedly handed the potential evidence to investigators.
Meghan’s half-brother claimed he discovered ‘hundreds, if not thousands’ of child abuse images and videos, including one that appeared to show his father having sex with an underage girl.
Mr Markle denies any wrongdoing. He has acknowledged paying for sex in the Philippines but insists that the women involved were adults.
He has called the allegations ‘sick lies’ and suggested that he was ‘set up’.
Meghan, now the Duchess of Sussex, is Thomas Markle Sr’s only child with his second former wife, Doria Ragland, pictured with Meghan in 2018
Mr Markle left Mexico for the Philippines in January last year, then moved to the US in May after having his lower leg amputated. He was reportedly transferred on Friday to a Florida care home for people with dementia.
Experts have said that extraditing someone with advanced dementia would be unlikely.
Meanwhile, Mexican authorities confirmed that they had raided a storage unit previously rented by Mr Markle in Rosarito after the Mail reported finding alleged indecent images of children there.
The FBI is also understood to be examining the case after Scotland Yard finally shared a letter containing allegations made against Mr Markle by his late former wife, Roslyn Loveless, in January 2019.
The Metropolitan Police referred itself to the independent police watchdog over its failure to act on the letter, despite having shared a copy with Meghan and Prince Harry.
The letter reportedly alleged that Mr Markle had moved to Asia because ’12-year-olds are legal there’.
Police have also reportedly advised Meghan not to comment publicly on the claims. She previously said she was ‘deeply distressed’ by the allegations.
A source said Philippine police were ‘still poring over everything’, adding: ‘Serious images of child abuse have been found… so formal charges are very close.’
READ MORE: Can Thomas Markle’s dementia halt the child abuse investigation? Are Meghan and Harry damaging the King’s popularity? Watch the new Palace Confidential, now available a day early for subscribers
