Lawyer Tells Us How The Goldman's Settlement Could Impact O.J. Simpson's Heirs
The death of O.J. Simpson at age 76 has left one major issue unresolved. Though he was famously acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, he was found guilty of wrongful death in a 1997 civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5 million to the Goldman family. Simpson never paid the full sum, so that remainder with interest, per the Daily Mail, is now more than $100 million. Does the death of the former football great wipe away that debt? Not a chance, says our legal expert.
The List spoke exclusively to Arash Sadat, a partner in the L.A.-based legal firm Mills Sadat Dowlat LLP. He explained the Goldmans have the right to go to probate court and claim their share of the judgment from Simpson's estate. "The executor of the estate can accept or reject the claim," he explained. "If the executor accepts, they pay. If they reject the claim, then the Goldmans can file an enforcement action to obtain a court order to satisfy the judgment and get the amount that's owed to them."
If the Goldmans are successful, then O.J. Simpson's children could be left empty-handed. He has four surviving adult children; a fifth child, daughter Aaren, died in a tragic accident at just one year old. "If the Goldmans' claim exceeds the value of the estate, they (and any other creditors) would get it all," Sadat said. "O.J.'s heirs would get nothing. Creditors get paid before heirs."
No amount of money will ease the Goldmans' pain
Ron Goldman's family — parents Fred Goldman and Sharon Rufo along with sister Kimberly Goldman— became reluctant public figures after his death. They were visible presences during O.J. Simpson's trials, and Fred has spoken frequently of the family's belief Simpson was guilty of Ron's murder. Following Simpson's death from cancer on April 11, 2024, Fred made a statement to the Daily Mail. "His death is a reminder that Ron and Nicole were murdered by him," he said in part. "I am not going react to my thoughts about him dying. I have nothing to say about him."
To date, the Goldmans have received only $133,000 of their multimillion-dollar judgment. Simpson declared bankruptcy in Florida as a means of avoiding payment, but attorney Arash Sadat exclusively told The List that Simpson may have had other assets the family can claim. "If O.J., before he died, tried to avoid creditors by taking some of his property and transferring it to his kids or anyone else, that can be challenged in court," Sadat said.
Sadat believes the Goldmans will receive the judgment sooner rather than later. "These types of claims have the potential to be resolved quickly," he said. "When someone is alive, they often resist paying for their whole life. But once that person dies, the executor doesn't have the same incentive because it's not their money."