Podcast Summary: O.J. Simpson Estate Agrees To Pay Family of Ron Goldman 31 Years After His Death

Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Amy Robach, T.J. Holmes
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

In this episode, Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes discuss the headline news that O.J. Simpson’s estate has formally acknowledged the civil debt owed to the family of Ron Goldman, more than three decades after Simpson was found liable for Goldman’s death in a civil trial. The episode unpacks the emotional, legal, and symbolic implications of this acknowledgment, the limitations of actual restitution, and the enduring impact on the Goldman family, while also touching on related pop culture details such as the auctioning of Simpson’s memorabilia.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

The Ongoing Pursuit of Justice by the Goldman Family

• Fred Goldman’s Relentless Effort:
  Amy highlights that Fred Goldman has been seeking justice for his son Ron for three decades, never letting the world forget the case or the unpaid judgment against Simpson.
  • “This is a man who has been for three decades talking about pursuing, trying to get some sort of justice for the death of his son.” (02:39)
• Partial Justice?
  The hosts emphasize that although the estate’s acknowledgment is significant, it falls far short of full restitution or a sense of true justice.
  • “If he'd have gotten every single dime of that money, that initial judgment, 30 plus million, that have felt like justice? I would argue no.” — TJ (03:23)
  • “Some semblance of...a little, I guess something that you could say you had a win. I mean the win was in court.” — TJ (03:23)
• Bittersweet Victories, Many Losses:
  Amy recaps the family’s experience: Simpson’s criminal acquittal (a major loss), victory in civil court, no payment, Simpson’s imprisonment for unrelated charges, and now this small legal resolution.
  • “So yeah, it's like some wins, but a lot of losses.” — Amy (04:00)

What the Estate is Really Worth

• Numbers Breakdown:

  • Original judgment plus accrued interest: Goldmans calculated $117 million; Estate contests this and offers $58 million.
  • Actual estate value: Possibly between $500,000 and $1 million, with creditors like the IRS ($640,000 owed) ahead of the Goldmans.
  • “We don't even have even anywhere close to that amount of money in the estate to give you. I think they're saying they might be able to scrape together anywhere between 500,000 and $1 million.” — Amy (05:41)
  • “There's a whole bunch of people in line ahead of the Goldmans who need to get paid first, including the IRS.” — Amy (06:34)

• Probate Reality for the Goldmans:
  TJ reframes the process as a mundane but frustrating probate case, not a dramatic confession or reversal from Simpson’s side.

  • “This is really a civil matter where they're trying to hunt down the estate... They're essentially a creditor at this point.” — TJ (06:49)
  • “Now we're finally hearing that you're acknowledging that you owe us money...but, yeah, we're in line and we're at the back of the line.” — Amy (07:30)

Media Campaign & The ‘Unreachable’ Judgment

• Constant Advocacy:
  Amy recalls frequent TV interviews with the Goldman family, underscoring their unrelenting media engagement to hold Simpson accountable.
  • “When I was working at the Today show, sometimes I felt like they were on once a month, trying to continue putting a spotlight on O.J. simpson, almost in a weird way, publicly shaming him...” — Amy (07:30)
• Simpson’s Loopholes:
  • Goldmans couldn’t touch Simpson’s NFL pension, and he lived comfortably despite the judgment.
  • “They couldn't touch his NFL pension either.” — TJ (08:20)

Executor's Hostile Stance and Shift in Tone

• Initial Hostility:

  • The executor originally proclaimed after Simpson’s death, “It's my hope that the Goldmans get nothing, get zero. Them specifically and I will do everything in my capacity...to ensure they get nothing.” — (Amy, quoting executor, 08:45)

• Subsequent Walk-back:

  • The executor acknowledged he spoke too harshly and shifted to a more neutral, pragmatic stance as estate proceedings unfolded.
  • “He said in hindsight...it's time to tone down the rhetoric and really get down to what my role is as a personal representative.” — Amy (10:05)

• Legal Implications:

  • Despite any personal feelings, the executor’s legal obligation is to settle outstanding debts as required by law.
  • “The executor has a specific job and it's not to defend a legacy...it's essentially to handle your personal financial affairs.” — TJ (11:17)

Symbolism, Legacy, and Ongoing Public Fascination

• Cultural Impact:
  The O.J. saga remains a national obsession, with new documentaries still revealing untold details and public discussions ongoing.

  • “Never a trial like this. The attention, the focus, the details that we all think we know. There's still information that we're finding out.” — Amy (12:45)
  • TJ recommends the latest Netflix documentary and recounts how his opinion kept shifting as he watched. (13:16–13:35)

• Goldmans’ Motivation:

  • TJ notes that the family's campaign was never about the money, but a sustained, public assertion that Ron Goldman deserved not to be forgotten.
  • “She said the reason she was doing the documentary is because if I don't, none of you all are going to talk about my brother. It'll all be about O.J. and Nicole.” — TJ, about Ron Goldman’s sister (13:35)
  • “I don't think they ever gave a damn about the money, obviously.” — TJ (14:30)

• Blood Money and Restitution:

  • Amy and TJ speculate Goldmans would likely donate any recovered funds.
  • “What would you do with that money? It was blood money. What do you want?” — Amy (14:30)
  • “This is the first time that, wow. He's paid for his crime.” — TJ (15:02)

The Bible Auction & Kardashian Connection (21:23–27:32)

• O.J. Memorabilia Auction:
  • Estate is auctioning possessions, including a Bible inscribed to Simpson by Robert Kardashian Sr., father of Kim Kardashian.
  • “Among the prized possessions was a Bible...gifted to O.J. simpson by his attorney, Robert Kardashian Sr.” — Amy (22:11)
• Kim Kardashian's Attempt to Buy the Bible:
  • Kim sought to purchase the Bible for sentimental reasons (as a gift for her sister), offering up to $30,000 but was denied. The Bible ultimately sold for $80,000.
  • “She offered to buy the book...for $15,000 and says she was willing to negotiate...The bible ended up being sold in auction for $80,000 plus.” — Amy (22:11, 23:19, 24:14)
• Executor's Reasoning:
  • The executor declined Kim’s offer, citing legal fees and a desire to maximize the estate proceeds, though the hosts question the logic of his explanation.
  • “He said that's a zero sum game and it's a bad business model.” — Amy (24:46)
• Personal and Business Motives:
  • Amy and TJ debate whether family, business, or frugality best explains the parties' actions over the memorabilia.
  • “She has no right or entitlement to it. Now, from a human standpoint, there's nobody in his family who has a use for it now, do they?” — TJ (26:12)

Additional Context & Reflections

• Not the Browns, Only the Goldmans:
  Amy and TJ note that Nicole Brown Simpson’s family was not involved in this civil claim.
  • “We didn't hear anything about the Browns that they have not. They're not a part of this.” — Amy (27:32)
• Headline Significance:
  TJ closes by noting how this technical, legal process remains newsworthy due to the case’s massive cultural legacy.
  • “It's a very big deal because of what we're talking about. This is the O.J. simpson case, and anything will make a headline. And the headline here is that the O.J. simpson is...Is acknowledging that he owes a debt.” — TJ (28:47)
• Quest for Justice Unfinished:
  • “They're looking for a crumb of justice, period, at this point, after all these years.” — Amy (28:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• TJ (03:23):
  “Is that what we call this? If he'd have gotten every single dime of that money, that initial judgment, 30 plus million, that have felt like justice, I would argue no.”

• Amy recapping executor's hostility (08:45):
  “It's my hope that the Goldmans get nothing, get zero...and I will do everything in my capacity...to ensure they get nothing.”

• TJ, on the Goldmans’ drive (10:04):
  “This family has had one mission and is to go after O.J. simpson and they have not stopped. For that, I give them all the credit in the world.”

• Amy, on new details in documentaries (12:45):
  “There was never a trial like this...There's still information that we're finding out.”

• TJ, on Ron Goldman's sister (13:35):
  “She said the reason she was doing the documentary is because if I don't, none of you all are going to talk about my brother. It'll all be about O.J. and Nicole.”

• Amy, on "blood money" (14:30):
  “What would you do with that money? It was blood money. What do you want?”

• Kim Kardashian feeling let down by humanity when denied the Bible (23:22):
  “I guess I had a little too much faith in humanity.”

Timeline of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment & Content | |----------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:39–04:50 | Intro to Fred Goldman’s relentless pursuit and "partial justice" | | 05:41–08:22 | Estate’s actual value, IRS/creditors, and Goldmans’ long wait | | 08:45–11:17 | Executor’s initial hostility, regret, and role in estate process | | 12:45–14:30 | Cultural obsession, Goldmans’ core motivations, documentaries | | 15:02–16:32 | O.J. memorabilia auctions—who would want these items? | | 21:23–27:32 | The Bible auction, Kim Kardashian’s bid, estate’s reasoning | | 27:32–28:47 | Brown vs. Goldman families, why this is still headline news | | 28:47–end | Closing reflections on justice, legacy, and outcome uncertain |

Tone & Style

• The episode alternates between sober analysis (of legal and emotional issues), genuine empathy for the Goldmans, and wry humor (especially when discussing memorabilia and public figures like Kim Kardashian).
• The hosts employ plain, direct language, occasionally breaking into a more conversational or speculative tone.

Conclusion

This episode provides a thorough, emotionally resonant, and sometimes sardonic look at one of America’s most infamous cases, as its legal aftermath continues into a fourth decade. The hosts acknowledge both the historical significance and the frustratingly limited impact of the estate’s action, while foregrounding the personal tenacity and pain of the Goldman family. Audiences come away with a renewed sense of how legal, financial, and cultural narratives intersect in high-profile tragedies—and how, sometimes, the quest for justice is both unfinished and unsatisfying.