Meghan Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., has been identified as a person of interest in an expanding child pornography probe involving their estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.
Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed the development on Thursday, stating there are "indications" the 60-year-old may be connected to the case, though he has not been named a suspect. As reported by The New York Post, Remulla stressed that investigators are widening their focus beyond Markle Sr. after a witness claimed underage girls had been brought to a residence tied to the inquiry.
"To accuse the father only is only half the police work," Remulla said, according to News5 Philippines. "There are signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well but only as a person of interest so far."
Remulla emphasized that Markle Jr. is not currently being treated as a suspect. According to Remulla, roughly 7,500 explicit files involving underage males and females were recovered from devices associated with Markle Sr.
"They presented it to me but I didn't want to look because I can't unsee it. It is the most deplorable displays of impunity towards sexual activity that I have ever seen. It's really, really disturbing," Remulla said. He added that the FBI is assisting Philippine authorities in tracing the registration of the devices, noting that six phones originated from the United States.
The case gained international attention in October, when The Daily Mail reported that disturbing child pornography had been discovered during a raid on a Mexico storage unit rented by the 82-year-old Markle Sr. Authorities in the Philippines opened their own investigation last month after Markle Jr. allegedly uncovered a cache of child sex images in his father's former residence in Cebu.
Markle Jr. is said to have found the material in several boxes and then surrendered it to local police. Thomas Sr. has vehemently rejected the accusations, branding his son's claims as "sick lies."
"I'm shocked, I'm hurt and I'm very upset that my son is making these accusations against me," he told the Daily Mail. "I could never do what I'm being accused of. It's the worst thing anyone could accuse me of."
The Duchess of Sussex, 45, has previously said she was "deeply disturbed" by the investigation into her estranged father. Meghan Markle also disclosed that she had been aware of similar allegations years earlier, a factor she said influenced her decision to sever ties and to keep Thomas Sr. away from her and Prince Harry's children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5.
The Post has contacted Thomas Markle Jr. and Philippine authorities for comment.
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