The unpaid debt stems from the wrongful death suit where Simpson was found liable for the deaths of Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson
O.J. Simpson’s estate has agreed to finally pay more than $50 million to the family of Ron Goldman, NBC News reports.
The money is tied to the the wrongful death suit Goldman’s father, Fred, filed against Simpson after the former football star was acquitted in a criminal case of murdering his then-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Goldman, her friend. Simpson was found responsible for both deaths in the civil case and ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages. After Simpson died in 2024, the Goldman family revealed that they’d never received and money, and in July, they filed a creditor claim seeking about $117 million.
The Simpson estate’s lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, initially balked at the sum, stating the Goldman family would get “zero, nothing” from the estate. But on Friday, Nov. 14, LaVergne filed documents in Clark County, Nevada, agreeing to pay Goldman’s family a significant sum just under $58 million. LaVergne did argue that he thought the Fred’s interest estimate was incorrect, but said he would “continue to work” with Fred on finding a “more reasonable” sum (via People).
According to Lavergne, Simpson’s estate is valued between $500,000 and $1 million. The estate is reportedly auctioning off items to raise more funds, as well as trying to recover other items that were allegedly stolen from the estate. Along with owing the Goldman family money, Simpson also reportedly owed the IRS at the time of his death.
Lavergne and Michaelle Rafferty, a lawyer for the Goldman family, did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s requests for comment.
Rafferty told NBC that the filing “does not constitute payment,” but said it was a “positive acknowledgement of the debt.” She added, “This acceptance allows the administration of the claim to move forward in probate. We will continue to monitor the probate process as it progresses.”
