Thirty-one years after the 1994 stabbing deaths of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and decades of legal maneuvering, a development has emerged in Las Vegas, Nevada. The estate of former NFL starO.J. Simpson, who died in April 2024 at the age of 76, has officially accepted a multimillion-dollar creditor claim from Fred Goldman, the father of murder victim Ron Goldman. This acceptance, filed in Clark County District Court on November 14 represents the first substantial movement toward satisfying a civil judgment that has stood largely unpaid for over three decades.
The Original $33 Million Verdict and Following Pursuit of Payment
The claim is rooted in a 1997 civil suit filed by the Brown and Goldman families, where Simpson was found liable for the 1994 stabbing deaths of his ex-wife, 35-year-old Brown Simpson, and 25-year-old Goldman, two years after his controversial acquittal in the criminal trial. The civil jury awarded the families more than $33 million in the wrongful death suit.
Despite the verdict, Simpson spent the rest of his life paying almost nothing of the amount owed. David Cook, an attorney for Fred Goldman, spoke to PEOPLE about the legal challenge at the time of Simpson's death: "He [O.J.] died without penance. He did not want to give a dime, a nickel to Fred, never, anything, never."
Cook detailed previous efforts, stating that attempts to obtain money from NFL pensions or O.J.'s trusts "went nowhere with it." Goldman formally submitted a creditor claim in July 2024 to the Nevada probate court. The amount requested, factoring in three decades of accumulated interest, was $57,997,858.12, "plus judgment interest on the approved amount."
Executor Vows to Pay "As Much As Possible" Amid Asset Scramble
The acceptance of the claim by the estate's executor, Malcolm LaVergne, is a crucial legal step, though it does not yet mean the money has been paid. LaVergne noted in the court documents that Fred Goldman's initial claim was for over $117 million, but he believes the interest computation-while "done in good faith"-was inaccurate, and stated he would "continue to work" with Fred on a "more accurate" calculation.
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LaVergne spoke to TMZ about the process ahead for the estate, which must now pay creditors before any remaining funds go to heirs. He confirmed the estate plans to pay out as much of the amount as possible as they begin the process of auctioning off items. He also claimed that some items have been stolen from the estate, and he is working with lawyers to regain possession of them. He further told the outlet that he plans to ask the court to award Ron a fee for advising him on how to run the estate.
The Goldman family's attorney, Michaelle Rafferty of Maupin, Cox & LeGoy, offered a statement to PEOPLE, confirming the next phase of the decades-long pursuit: "The Executor's acceptance of the claim is a positive acknowledgement of the debt. It does not constitute payment. This acceptance allows the administration of the claim to move forward in probate. We will continue to monitor the probate process as it progresses."
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