UPDATED: Meghan Markle's father arrested by FBI in Florida amid child pornography investigation

CALGARY — Meghan Markle's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr., has been arrested by FBI agents in Florida amid an international investigation into suspected child sexual abuse material discovered in the Philippines and Mexico.According to the Daily Mail, The 82-year-old was taken into custody Friday at the Maravida Senior Living facility in Lakeland, Florida.Federal agents reportedly arrived at the facility Friday morning and detained Markle on suspicion of possessing child sexual abuse material.The reported arrest comes just weeks after his son, Thomas Markle Jr., accused him of possessing hundreds, potentially thousands, of disturbing photographs and videos involving children.Markle Sr. has repeatedly denied the allegations, describing his son's accusations as lies.The FBI has not yet publicly confirmed the reported arrest or announced formal charges..The investigation began in October after Thomas Markle Jr. claimed he discovered four large boxes containing suspected child sexual abuse material among his father's belongings at a former residence in Cebu, Philippines.Markle Jr. subsequently reported the discovery to authorities, including Philippine police and the FBI.On October 23, Philippine Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty confirmed that the country's anti-trafficking and online child sexual exploitation task force was investigating the allegations.Investigators later examined electronic devices surrendered to authorities, including memory cards and cellular phones.According to the Philippine National Police, three memory cards and one cellphone contained suspected child sexual abuse material.By Wednesday, authorities reported recovering approximately 7,500 photographs and one video involving minors, some believed to be as young as 10 or 11.However, investigators emphasized that the discovery did not establish who owned, produced or distributed the material.Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla also revealed that Thomas Markle Jr. had been identified as a person of interest while investigators examined the origins of the material. Authorities stressed that the younger Markle had not been designated a suspect.Meanwhile, the investigation expanded to Mexico after authorities searched a storage unit near Markle Sr.'s former residence in Rosarito, Baja California.Mexican authorities confirmed that the unit had been rented in Markle's name and contained magazines and electronic equipment requiring further examination. The search followed an anonymous tip concerning suspected child sexual abuse material..The Duchess of Sussex publicly addressed the allegations in October, revealing that she had been informed of troubling accusations involving her father years before the current investigation.In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on October 23, Meghan said she had received information about allegations against her father in 2018, the same year she married Prince Harry."I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," she said.According to Meghan, a letter containing allegations against her father had been sent to London's Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection unit.She said the information was subsequently shared with her and that she had been assured the allegations were being investigated.Meghan also explained that the allegations influenced her decision to maintain her distance from her father and prevent him from having contact with her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.She said her decision was made to protect her children.The Duchess concluded her statement by expressing hope that justice would be served and that protecting children would remain the priority.London's Metropolitan Police has since launched internal inquiries into how the 2018 allegations were handled..Markle Sr., a former television lighting director, has strongly rejected the accusations made by his son.Speaking to the Daily Mail following the initial allegations, Markle said he was shocked and upset by the claims."I could never do what I'm being accused of. It's the worst thing anyone could accuse me of," he said.His daughter Samantha Markle has also disputed the accusations against their father.Markle Sr. returned to the United States earlier this year after spending several years living abroad. He has experienced significant health problems, including a stroke and the amputation of his left leg, and reportedly moved into a specialized care facility in Florida shortly before Friday's reported arrest.The FBI previously confirmed it was aware of the allegations and would assist Philippine authorities while investigating any potential violations of American federal law.As of Friday, authorities had not publicly announced formal charges stemming from the reported arrest. The investigation remains ongoing.

UPDATED: Meghan Markle's father arrested by FBI in Florida amid child pornography investigation

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