Following the tragic death of former One Direction member Liam Payne, a resurfaced video from 2017 has reignited “suspicious death of a star who knew Diddy” conspiracy theories linking his death to rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

Payne, who passed away in Argentina after falling from the third floor of his hotel, had once spoken of an eerie encounter with Diddy. The resurfaced video has sparked a wave of speculation, especially given Diddy's jailing status involving federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Back in 2017, the ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ singer appeared on The Graham Norton Show and recounted an uncomfortable moment with Diddy at a party. “I went over to speak to him and Jay-Z and as I shook his hand he just chuckle... [Diddy had] the most evil laugh I’ve ever heard,” he recalled.

“So, I’m a little bit fearful of that man,” as the encounter left him unsettled. Payne then recounted that Diddy held his hand for an excessively long time, truly “the longest handshake ever.”

Payne wondered, “When is this going to end?” as the prolonged handshake left him feeling uneasy.

Diddy's ongoing legal issues have fueled wild conspiracy theories

Fans began speculating that Payne's sudden and mysterious death might be connected to the music mogul. Some users on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), drew parallels between Payne’s comments about Diddy and his untimely passing, suggesting, “Liam Payne talks about Diddy. Everyone tries to stop him. And now he dies mysteriously??! Connect the dots.”

“There’s no such thing as an accident in the music industry. Liam’s ‘fall’ was a warning to others,” the user added in the thread. “Too many stars die under suspicious circumstances. Liam’s fall is just another in a long line of unexplained deaths,” and added, “I’m suspicious of any death with people who knew Diddy.”

Payne’s interview wasn’t the only time he mentioned the unsettling encounter

In a separate 2017 interview with KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O, Payne again spoke about his run-in with Diddy at a celebrity-packed event that also included Jay-Z and Leonardo DiCaprio. He described it as “the most daunting celebrity experience,” reiterating the strange handshake and Diddy’s unsettling chuckle. He also admitted that he had approached Diddy, believing he would be the safest out of the trio, but in retrospect, realized he had “missed the mark.”

However, Buenos Aires Security Ministry communications director Pablo Policicchio said in a statement that Payne “had jumped from the balcony of his room” on the third floor of CasaSur Palermo Hotel.

Read Also: Zayn Malik reacts to Liam Payne’s shocking death: He has been in ‘absolute bits’

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