Nearly three decades after a landmark civil judgment, the estate of O.J. Simpson has acknowledged a staggering debt to Fred Goldman – a debt born from unimaginable loss. The executor of the estate has formally accepted Goldman’s claim, a figure that has swelled to almost $58 million with thirty years of accrued interest.
The claim stems from the horrific night of June 12, 1994, when Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were brutally murdered. While O.J. Simpson was acquitted in the criminal trial that captivated the world, the Goldman family relentlessly pursued justice through the civil courts.
In 1997, a civil jury found Simpson liable for the wrongful deaths, initially awarding $33.5 million in damages. However, the vast majority of that sum remained unpaid throughout Simpson’s life, a constant source of anguish for Fred Goldman.
Simpson’s death in April 2024, at the age of 76, opened a new chapter in this long-running saga. The estate, now under the control of executor Malcolm LaVergne, is tasked with settling outstanding debts.
LaVergne revealed that the $58 million figure was the result of negotiations with Fred Goldman. The estate intends to raise funds through the auction of Simpson’s personal belongings, a process complicated by recent thefts of some items.
Efforts are underway to recover the stolen possessions, with LaVergne working alongside legal counsel to pursue their return. He also intends to request a court-approved administrative fee for Goldman, recognizing his assistance in managing the estate’s affairs.
Significantly, LaVergne has rejected nearly all other creditor claims, prioritizing only those from Fred Goldman and the Internal Revenue Service. This means a separate claim from the state of California, totaling over $636,000, may require legal action to be satisfied.
This decision represents a dramatic shift in stance. Following Simpson’s death, LaVergne had publicly stated his unwillingness to pay the Goldman family. Now, he asserts the estate will strive to settle the judgment to the fullest extent possible.
For Fred Goldman, the civil suit was always about achieving a measure of accountability for his son’s death. It was a path to justice when the criminal justice system, in his view, had failed to deliver it.
The coming months will reveal how much of the $58 million can actually be recovered through the sale of Simpson’s assets. But for the Goldman family, this acknowledgment of the debt is a crucial step towards a long-delayed sense of closure.
