Simpson’s advance is frozen

A federal judge in Los Angeles has frozen the money O.J. Simpson received as an advance for a book he wrote describing how he could have killed ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

The action came after Simpson said the advance, estimated at $1 million, had been spent. The book’s publication was scrubbed after a public outcry.

But David Cook, a lawyer for Goldman’s family, who brought the suit, said that the money had been laundered and that the goal was to show that Simpson was hiding it.

“The battle is about prying assets from this guy,” Cook said.

Simpson said the money was used to pay for his Florida house, a trust for his children and to pay bills. But Cook said money placed in the trust was little more than a cash conduit for Simpson.

“If I Did It” was a book and television deal in which Simpson was to have described how he could have killed his ex-wife and Goldman. The package was put together by publisher Judith Regan, who was recently fired from her position, but canceled by parent company News Corp. after the outcry.

The court order, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Manuel Real, came in response to the Dec. 19 lawsuit, which alleged that Simpson created Lorraine Brooke Associates to hide the assets. The Goldman family is seeking the advance money, plus damages. Another hearing is set for Jan. 24.

Simpson was acquitted in October 1995 of murder charges in the slayings. But a civil court, which has a lower burden of proof, found him liable for wrongful death and ordered him to pay $33.5 million in restitution. Neither the Brown family nor the Goldman family has received any money.

michael.kennedy@latimes.com