OJ Simpson has died, according to his family.
In a post on the social media website X, the family said the 76-year-old “succumbed to his battle with cancer” on Wednesday.
“He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren,” the post added.
“During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
Simpson – full name Orenthal James – rose to fame playing college football before going on to star in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
He later turned to acting, appearing in a number of movies including The Naked Gun series.
In 1994, he gained global notoriety after being accused of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman.
His attempt to escape police officers was televised live to an estimated audience of tens of millions of people.
I’m from the Bay and I’m going with Bay!!! Lets go @49ers pic.twitter.com/MoO9TELc8B
— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) February 11, 2024
He was later acquitted of the murders after an extraordinarily controversial trial, with critics claiming he had been found not guilty by the majority-black jury because of his skin colour.
Simpson was found liable for the deaths of Brown and Goldman in a civil case in 1997 and ordered to pay US$33.5 million.
In 2008, he was sentenced to 33 years in prison for armed robbery, but was released in 2017.
It was revealed earlier this year that Simpson was being treated for prostate cancer.
