Following the death of O.J. Simpson in April, his children now have a poignant way to remember him. The former NFL star, who passed away at the age of 76 after battling cancer, had his ashes transformed into jewellery, which has been distributed to his four children.
Memorial jewellery for Simpson’s children
Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime attorney and the executor of his estate, confirmed to TMZ that the ashes were made into memorial pieces for his children: Arnelle, Sydney, Jason, and Justin. LaVergne, who has the authority over Simpson’s estate, had to approve the use of the ashes for this purpose. However, he declined to disclose specific details about the jewellery. LaVergne mentioned that he did not have a piece made for himself and expressed no interest in possessing a share of Simpson’s remains. The total cost for the cremation, jewellery creation, and the issuance of death certificates amounted to $4,243.06, according to LaVergne.
Legal and financial matters following Simpson’s death
Distributing the memorial jewellery is just one of the many responsibilities LaVergne has undertaken since Simpson’s death. He is currently engaged in settling Simpson’s substantial debts, which amount to nearly $270,000. To address these obligations, LaVergne is working on liquidating some of Simpson’s assets, including his Las Vegas home, as reported by Yahoo Finance.
In addition to handling Simpson’s debt, LaVergne is also involved in an ongoing legal battle with the family of Ron Goldman. The Goldman family has been seeking to collect on a $30 million wrongful death lawsuit that dates back to Simpson’s infamous 1994 murder trial. Simpson was accused of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Goldman. Although Simpson was acquitted in the criminal trial, the Goldman family won a civil wrongful death lawsuit against him in 1997.
Despite the civil court victory, the Goldman family has not received any payment from the judgment, largely due to a Florida law protecting Simpson’s NFL pension. However, Fred Goldman, Ron’s father, has renewed his efforts to collect by filing a claim in Nevada. The renewed claim seeks $57,997,858 from Simpson’s estate, including interest accrued through 2024, which has pushed the total amount to over $100 million, according to Fox 5 Las Vegas. LaVergne stated that he would handle Goldman’s claim “in accordance with Nevada law,” as reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Additional financial strain: California tax lien
In addition to the Goldman family’s claim, Simpson’s estate is also facing a significant tax lien. In May, the state of California placed a $500,000 tax lien on Simpson’s estate, adding another layer of financial strain to the ongoing legal proceedings. As the legal battles over Simpson’s estate continue, his children now carry a piece of him with them, memorialized in the form of jewellery. The ongoing litigation and financial issues surrounding Simpson’s estate highlight the complexities and challenges that have followed the infamous figure, even after his death.