O.J. Simpson recently passed away after his long-drawn battle with cancer. The NFL star, who is infamously known for the double murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman passed away in rather financially strained conditions. Malcolm LaVergne, the executor, recently brought attention to the financial difficulties encountered by the estate of the late celebrity following Simpson’s passing at the age of 76 last week. LaVergne disclosed that Simpson’s financial circumstances were not as expected by many.
In a statement to TMZ , LaVergne shared that Simpson had “less than 5 figures in one Nevada bank account” at the time of his passing and an overall net worth that was “less than millions.” Contrary to previous reports suggesting substantial wealth, LaVergne clarified that Simpson’s finances primarily consisted of social security benefits and pensions from his NFL and acting careers, totaling less than $400,000 annually. LaVergne emphasized that while Simpson maintained a comfortable lifestyle in Nevada, the estate lacked the necessary funds to settle the longstanding debt owed to Goldman’s family. Following a wrongful death lawsuit in 1997, the Goldmans were awarded $33.5 million, which has since grown to over $100 million due to accrued interest over the years.
“One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. Maybe some people will say, look, even though this means nothing to me…some guy who is fascinated with O.J. and has a lot of money will pay $50 thousand for it,” LaVergne said. In his final will, the former NFL star-turned-accused murderer appointed LaVergne as the executor of his estate. Initially, LaVergne asserted that Goldman’s family should receive “zero, nothing” from Simpson’s estate.
“O.J. Simpson Proved That With Enough Money You CanGet Away With Murder” “The accused killer won and lost in court depending on his bank account. Simpson’s entire life is a parable of the power of money in America.” by @HeerJeet @thenation https://t.co/Z14aGNALN8
— Karim Emile Bitar (@karimbitar) April 12, 2024
“It’s my hope that the Goldmans get zero, nothing. Them specifically,” LaVergne said after Simpson passed away. “And I will do everything in my capacity as the executor or personal representative to try and ensure that they get nothing,” he added. The estate executor further admitted, “In hindsight, in response to that statement that ‘it’s my hope they get zero, nothing,’ I think that was pretty harsh. Now that I understand my role as the executor and the personal representative, it’s time to tone down the rhetoric and really get down to what my role is as a personal representative. We can get this thing resolved in a calm and dispassionate manner.”
In O. J. Simpson trial, you can see what expensive lawyers can do for you – unfortunately, anywhere in Western world, receiving justice and a fair trial very much depends on defendant’s bank account. That’s very unfair.
— KL (@KL87120899) April 28, 2021
Despite being acquitted in the 1994 murder trial Simpson was found liable for both deaths in civil court the following year. According to Page Six , a significant portion of his income was earmarked for settling this substantial debt. However, following his release from prison in 2017 on an unrelated charge, Simpson managed to sustain a comfortable lifestyle by predominantly conducting business transactions in cash, thereby circumventing payments to the Brown and Goldman families.