Over three decades after O.J. Simpson was deemed responsible for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in a civil wrongful death case, Simpson’s estate has finally consented to pay the damages awarded to the Goldman family back in 1997.

Originally, a jury awarded the families $33.5 million in damages. Now, Simpson’s estate has agreed to a settlement of $58 million, plus interest, to be paid to Ron Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman.

The reasons behind this sudden decision remain unclear, especially considering that the estate’s executor, Malcolm Lavergne, had previously vowed not to pay Fred Goldman a cent.

Despite agreeing to the $58 million settlement, Lavergne anticipates that the estate will only be able to gather between $500,000 and $1 million in assets. To meet the obligation, the estate plans to auction Simpson’s belongings to raise funds. However, the feasibility of covering the entire amount remains uncertain.

Lavergne has stated that the estate is committed to paying as much of the settlement as possible through ongoing auctions of Simpson’s possessions. Complicating matters, some items have reportedly been stolen, and the estate is currently entangled in legal disputes to reclaim these assets.

One year after Simpson is acquitted in criminal court, a civil trial begins. The families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman sue Simpson for their wrongful deaths. The civil trial lasts five months, the 12-person jury finding OJ Simpson responsible for the murders of Nicole and Ron.

The jury awards $8.5 million in compensatory damages to Ron Goldman’s parents, and determine Simpson should pay $25 million in punitive damages to both victims’ families.

The Goldman family isn’t the only one Simpson owes money. Simpson’s estate owes federal taxes and state taxes as well. While Lavergne agrees to the Goldman settlement.

He says his priority is paying off the IRS. Lavergne is doubling down on skirting the California taxes, saying the state will have to sue to recover the $637,000 claim they filed with the estate.

Additional Guests

• Chris Melcher – Celebrity Lawyer and Partner at Walzer Melcher & Yoda (with deep experience in complex family law litigation)
• Dr. Cheryl Arutt– Licensed Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Specializing in Trauma Recovery, PTSD and EMDR; website: CreativeEMDR.com, IG: @askdrcheryl
• Jon Buehler – Former Detective for Modesto Police Department, California (31 years in Robbery and Homicide), Detective in Scott Peterson Investigation

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo: FILE – In this May 14, 2013, file photo, O.J. Simpson appears at an evidentiary hearing in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas. On Friday, June 18, 2021, Simpson’s lawyer says he’ll keep fighting recent court orders in Nevada that the former football star owes least $60 million in judgments stemming from the 1994 killings of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman. (Ethan Miller via AP, Pool, File)]