The FBI is expected to search two previously undisclosed storage units in Los Angeles rented by Thomas Markle Sr, the father of the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, following information provided by his son.
The units, which reportedly contain some of Meghan’s former possessions alongside personal memorabilia from her father’s Hollywood career, are now expected to become part of an expanding investigation into allegations that child sexual abuse material was found among Markle Sr’s belongings.
Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, 60, is said to have identified the location of the two units to federal investigators after being interviewed by the FBI for approximately two hours.
Speaking about the discovery, he said he was concerned about what investigators might uncover, particularly given the material reportedly found in Mexico and the Philippines.
Thomas Markle Jr Reveals Details of His Father’s Storage Units
According to Thomas Jr, his father first told him about the storage facilities around 2011, explaining that he had rented them for approximately 15 years.
One unit allegedly contains furniture and personal belongings belonging to Meghan from her university days at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
The second reportedly holds boxes of books, photographs, Hollywood memorabilia and other personal items collected throughout Markle Sr’s life.
Speaking to The Sun, Thomas Jr said: “My father told me about the two units years ago.
He’s had them for about 15 years.”
He added that one was filled with Meghan’s old furniture, while the other contained memorabilia from his father’s career, photographs and possessions from her college years.
He also expressed concern about what investigators might discover when they examine the contents.
Mexico Storage Unit Raid Follows Discovery of Explicit Material
The latest development comes after the Daily Mail reported finding a collection of sexually explicit books, magazines and photographs inside a storage unit rented by Markle Sr in Rosarito, Mexico.
Some of the photographs reportedly featured Asian females who appeared conspicuously young.
The newspaper alerted the FBI to the discovery last week, prompting Mexican authorities to raid the facility.
Mexican officials subsequently confirmed that the storage unit had been searched as part of the investigation into the material.
The discovery has added another international dimension to the allegations against the 82-year-old, who has strongly denied any involvement in child sexual abuse material.
He previously described the accusations as “sick lies” and suggested that he had been set up.
Philippine Police Examine Digital Devices Recovered From Apartment
Meanwhile, investigators in the Philippines are continuing to examine digital devices allegedly belonging to Markle Sr after material described by police as explicit content was discovered.
Authorities obtained a warrant on Thursday to investigate items recovered from four storage boxes at his apartment in Cebu.
The devices included nine mobile phones, three SD cards, five hard drives and a camera, alongside another non-digital item.
Officers spent the weekend examining the materials as part of an ongoing digital forensic investigation.
Major General Wilson Asueta of the Philippine National Police confirmed that investigators had identified files containing child sexual exploitation and abuse material.
He said the files included videos involving male and female minors, as well as recordings of adults engaging in sexual activities and other explicit material.
Asueta explained that the material was undergoing further forensic analysis while field investigators worked to verify the information received by the authorities.
He also said preliminary findings suggested that the children appearing in the videos were not from the Philippines, although they appeared to be of Asian or Caucasian origin.
Formal Charges Against Markle Sr Could Be Imminent
Philippine police are reportedly approaching a decision on whether to bring formal charges against Markle Sr following the examination of the recovered material.
A source told The Sun that investigators were still reviewing the evidence but had already identified serious images of child abuse.
The investigation reportedly began after Thomas Jr, who lives in the Philippines, handed authorities a collection of potential evidence.
He previously claimed to have discovered hundreds, possibly thousands, of images and videos depicting child abuse.
Among the material he described was an image that allegedly appeared to show his father having sex with an underage girl.
Markle Sr has denied the allegations.
Although he acknowledged paying for sex while living in the Philippines, he insisted that the encounters involved adult prostitutes.
Markle Sr Moves Into Florida Dementia Care Facility
Markle Sr has reportedly been transferred to a Florida care home specialising in dementia treatment, close to the home of his daughter Samantha.
He moved from Mexico to the Philippines in January last year before returning to the United States in May following the amputation of his lower leg.
His reported move into the care facility on Friday has raised questions about whether he could face legal proceedings overseas.
Experts believe extradition could be difficult if his dementia has advanced to a stage that affects his ability to participate in legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, Samantha and Thomas Jr reportedly held crisis discussions lasting approximately three hours yesterday.
An insider claimed Samantha had stopped discussing the allegations on social media since the meeting.
FBI Examines Allegations Previously Reported to Scotland Yard
The FBI is also reportedly examining information contained in a letter sent to Scotland Yard by Markle Sr’s late former wife, Roslyn Loveless, in January 2019.
The letter allegedly contained accusations about his conduct and included a claim that he had moved to Asia because “12-year-olds are legal there”.
Scotland Yard has now referred itself to the independent police watchdog over its failure to act on the allegations at the time, despite having shared a copy of the letter with Meghan and Prince Harry.
The force has since passed the correspondence to the relevant authorities.
Meghan Markle Reportedly Advised Against Public Comment
Meghan, who has been estranged from her father for several years, is reportedly among those advised by police not to comment publicly on the allegations.
The Duchess previously said she was deeply distressed by the claims surrounding her father.
Thomas Markle Sr is the only child of Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, and her second husband. Their relationship has remained strained for years.
The latest reports mean investigators in the United States, Mexico and the Philippines are now examining different aspects of the allegations, including material reportedly recovered from storage facilities and digital devices.
Markle Sr continues to deny wrongdoing.
