OJ Simpson’s lawyer does volte-face on payments to Ron Goldman’s family, says ‘claim will be accepted’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a surprising turn of events, Malcolm LaVergne, the longtime attorney of OJ Simpson, has announced a significant shift in his stance regarding payments to the Goldman family, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. 

LaVergne, who was named executor of Simpson's will before the former NFL star's recent passing, has now pledged to ensure that any claims made by the parents of Ron Goldman will be accepted by the estate.

OJ Simpson's lawyer U-turn on payments to Goldman family

This reversal comes after LaVergne's initial statements, where he expressed intentions to fight against a payout of the $33.5 million judgment awarded to the families of Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman.

In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, LaVergne acknowledged his previous remarks and admitted that they were not directed towards Fred Goldman but rather his attorneys.

“I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law,” LaVergne said.

He admitted that his earlier remarks were not in response to Fred Goldman, who has been relentless in his pursuit of justice for his son since the 1997 civil trial verdict, but toward his attorneys.

“Within an hour of knowing that OJ died, he started talking shit. My advocate instinct is was, ‘Oh, you’re gonna keep shitting on him even after he’s dead?’” he said.

“’Fine, you know? You get nothing.’ And so, those were my remarks then. But I backtracked, and they were pretty harsh remarks. And now I’m going in the other direction.”

LaVergne explained that his earlier comments were made in response to perceived negativity towards Simpson even after his death. However, he now plans to be "hypertransparent" with the families of Brown Simpson and Goldman, indicating a willingness to work towards resolving outstanding matters related to the civil trial verdict.

“I’m going to show my homework before I even have to give it to the courts and see what we can do in terms of getting this estate in order,” LaVergne said.

Fred Goldman, who has tirelessly pursued justice for his son since the 1997 trial, has expressed frustration over the lack of payment from Simpson. Despite the substantial judgment owed to the Goldmans and Browns, no money has been received thus far.

“It’s a ridiculous number, none of which has ever appeared,” Goldman said. “[Simpson] never paid one single penny. Anything that we were able to take was through our own efforts of taking things away from him.”

Simpson's assets, including real estate holdings in Florida, have been placed into a trust and will undergo probate proceedings in court. LaVergne emphasized that decisions regarding Simpson's estate are being made by his four adult children, who are seeking to honor their father's wishes.

As for Simpson's final arrangements, LaVergne revealed that his remains will be cremated this week, based on the consensus of his children. While no immediate plans for a funeral ceremony are in place, a memorial celebration is expected to take place in the coming weeks or months, intended for family and close friends only.

“If and when it takes place, it is intended to be limited to family and friends,” LaVergne said.

OJ Simpson allegedly stashed millions in offshore accounts

Recent revelations suggest that OJ Simpson may have passed away with substantial sums concealed in offshore bank accounts, purportedly to avoid fulfilling his financial obligations to the families of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown.

According to leaked audio recordings obtained by The US Sun, Simpson's longtime friend, Bruce Froming, confessed to assisting the former NFL star in establishing offshore accounts.

Froming, who was previously a victim of Simpson's armed robbery in 2007, asserted his involvement in setting up these accounts to evade payment to the Goldman and Brown families.

In the recorded conversation, Froming expressed frustration and resentment towards Simpson, citing his past support and assistance during legal proceedings. He bluntly stated his role in aiding Simpson with the offshore accounts, emphasizing his discontent with the situation.

Froming's testimony against Simpson in the 2008 armed robbery trial contrasts with his subsequent declarations of forgiveness towards Simpson, labeling him as a "good man" during a 2017 parole release hearing.

Simpson, who succumbed to cancer on April 10, reportedly owed the Goldman and Brown families $33.5 million in damages following their victory in a 1997 wrongful death civil suit.

This debt, with accrued interest, amounted to over $100 million, yet Simpson never personally compensated the families.

The families, however, indirectly benefited from Simpson's controversial book, 'If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer'.