O.J. Simpson Estate: New Controversy in $33.5M Case

The estate of former Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson may soon find itself embroiled in controversy.

Following his passing at age 76 on April 10, Simpson's longtime attorney, Malcolm Lavergne, was revealed as executor of his estate. In addition to the wealth of several of his assets, the estate is also facing substantial debt.

The most notable of Simpson’s potential creditors are the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman  — to whom a $33.5 million civil judgment was awarded in 1997, declaring Simpson responsible for their 1994 murders.

To satisfy his obligations, Lavergne appears intent on liquidating Simpson’s assets. In fact, he recently revealed to TMZ that he plans on recouping more than $269,000 from the sale of Simpson's house in Nevada. However, he must first obtain agreement from Simpson’s son, Justin. To date, he has been unsuccessful in doing so.

“Malcolm says Justin [the youngest of two children Simpson had with Nicole] helped his father buy his "forever" home in Las Vegas a couple years ago, and now the estate wants to recoup the money O.J. put into the home, which LaVergne pegs at around $159K,” per TMZ’s report.

“What's more, he says the home is now worth over $100K more than when it was purchased in 2022. So, LaVergne's position is that both the equity and the amount O.J. put into the home belong to O.J.'s estate,” the report added.

Still, the amount would only obtain a small fraction of the amount owed, as Simpson’s unpaid debt has increased to approximately $100 million due to interest.

Simpson’s subsequent arrest and murder trial became a veritable global phenomenon throughout the 1990s. The late Pro Football Hall of Famer was eventually acquitted of all charges in Oct. 1995. However, he was found liable for wrongful death in a civil court case two years later and told to pay the aforementioned damages to the Brown and Goldman families. Simpson maintained his innocence throughout the his life until his death in April.

Despite his personal life being cloaked in controversy, Simpson’s skill on the football field could not be denied. Throughout his 11 seasons in the NFL, he gained 11,236 rushing yards, placing him second on the NFL's all-time rushing list when he retired — on which he now ranks No. 21. He was named NFL Player of the Year in 1973, and played in six Pro Bowls.

He was the only player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a 14-game season, and the only player to rush for over 200 yards in six different games in his career. Simpson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985, his first year of eligibility.