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FBI agents arrested Thomas Markle, 82, at his Lakeland, Florida, retirement home early Friday morning on federal charges involving the possession of child sexual abuse material.
US Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed that federal authorities charged Markle with one count of possessing child pornography, alleging that the materials included explicit photographs depicting Markle with minor girls.
Justice Department officials stated that Markle allegedly stored approximately 78 items—including film negatives, slides, and books containing suspected abuse imagery—across two storage units he rented in the Los Angeles area for nearly 20 years.
The federal investigation expands beyond US borders, as authorities also uncovered alleged abuse imagery at Markle’s former residence in the Philippines and at a storage facility in Mexico.
The British newspaper The Sun previously reported that Markle’s son, Thomas Markle Jr., discovered the images while searching through boxes in his father’s former home in Cebu, Philippines, before Markle’s return to the United States earlier this year.
If convicted on the federal possession charge, Markle faces up to 20 years in prison.
Meghan Markle stated last month that she felt deeply distressed by the allegations against her father, noting that she had previously blocked contact between him and her children due to earlier disturbing accusations.
Meghan married Prince Harry in May 2018, and after stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the couple unexpectedly relocated back to the United Kingdom with their two children in August.
