Before 1994, Simpson was well known as a professional athlete, actor and million-dollar spokesman for several US companies.
But that year, he was arrested over the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman. The ensuing trial gripped the nation and became one of the most notorious in 20th Century America.
Prosecutors argued Simpson killed Brown in a jealous fury.
The defence argued Simpson had been framed by police motivated by racism.
He was subsequently acquitted but was later found responsible for both the deaths in a 1996 civil trial.
In 2008, Simpson found himself once more in trouble with the law when he was convicted for his part in a 2007 armed robbery of sports memorabilia. Sentenced to 33 years in prison, he was released on parole in 2017 after serving almost nine years.