AP report: Thomas Markle Sr. arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse material

Federal agents in Florida arrested Thomas Markle Sr. on Friday morning, according to two unnamed sources. The charges stem from allegations involving child sexual abuse material. The arrest occurred outside Tampa, Florida. The source of the allegations began with a British tabloid newspaper, The Sun, which reported that Meghan Markle's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., discovered a collection of child sexual abuse images while clearing out their father's home in the Philippines.

This discovery prompted the younger Markle to report the images to the police in the Philippines and contact the FBI. Meghan Markle, the wife of Prince Harry, expressed her "deep distress" over the allegations. She stated that a letter containing troubling allegations against Thomas Markle Sr. had been sent to London police in 2018.

The letter reportedly contained "troubling and disturbing" allegations about her father, which she hoped would now be understood as being motivated by her decision to protect her children. Meghan emphasized that her decision to maintain a distance from her father and prevent him from having contact with their children was solely for their protection.

The source did not provide any further details about the nature of the alleged child sexual abuse material or the investigation.