Reliable informant revealed OJ Simpson's murder weapon disposal and drug abuse, sealed files show Unsealed federal records from the late 1990s reveal a 'highly reliable' criminal informant provided key insights into the OJ Simpson murder case, including details of the disposed murder weapon and the couple's drug use. While Simpson was acquitted, the informant's testimony suggests possible complicity and sheds light on the unresolved mystery of the missing knife. A criminal informant described as 'extremely reliable' told investigators about the missing murder weapon used in the 1994 killings of OJ Simpson's ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend Ronald Goldman, as well as the former couple's alleged drug use, according to newly unsealed 30-year-old federal court files. Simpson was acquitted of the murder charges in October 1995, only to be found financially liable for the wrongful deaths of Brown and Goldman at a civil trial 16 months later. The knife used in the killings was never found, leading some to speculate about the possibility of an accomplice in the murder. Simpson, who passed away in 2024 at 76, had maintained his innocence for the rest of his life.Informant Joey Ippolito Reveals Simpson DetailsBut according to a newly unsealed 1996 letter urging a lenient sentence for convicted drug trafficker and prison escapee Joseph 'Joey' Ippolito, an assistant US attorney told a federal judge about valuable information provided by the department's informant, much of which involved narcotics and the mafia. The letter also said Ippolito was 'privy to many facts' from the infamous 1994 murder, 'including Mr. Simpson's alleged domestic violence, the Simpsons' narcotics usage, Mr. Simpson's attempted flight from justice, and his disposal of the murder weapon.' 'While Ippolito ultimately was not called as a witness he was arrested and began to cooperate as that trial drew to a close my conversations with the Los Angeles authorities indicate that Ippolito's information was, at the very least, very helpful to their case,' read the letter unsealed at The New York Times' request and obtained by The Daily Mail. Ippolito died in 2006, but his brother Sam did speak to the Times, saying that the two siblings were staying in West Hollywood on the night of the 1994 murders.The Times reported Sam saying Joey left that night to help a friend, only to return with what appeared to be blood on his hands and a bag containing a heavy object. But when contacted by The Daily Mail, Sam denied making that comment, instead saying his fugitive brother was 'in hiding' at the time and 'not out past 10.Ippolito Arrested Before 1994 Brentwood Murders' The murders in LA's Brentwood neighborhood are believed to have occurred after 10pm on June 12, 1994. Joseph Ippolito Jr was arrested for drug trafficking prior to the Goldman-Brown murders and according to federal prosecutors, the restaurateur had mob ties.He died in 2006 OJ Simpson denied murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown (left) and her friend Ronald Goldman Goldman wasn't believed to be an intended target, but was nonetheless murdered with Brown In its piece, the Times accused Joey's brother of requesting compensation from the news outlet. When the reporter refused, according to the Times, Ippolito recanted his statement and told the Times he 'was offered a ton of money' to tell his story to another outlet.As The Daily Mail reported last month, Sam Ippolito was among the subjects included in the upcoming Peacock documentary. In a text message to The Daily Mail, Sam Ippolito denied asking for money from the Times. Joey Ippolito, who owned a Santa Monica restaurant, was close with Cowlings, the lifelong friend and former teammate of Simpson.Simpson Friend Cowlings Secured Ippolito Bail ReleaseIt was Cowlings who led LAPD on a low-speed chase with Simpson in the back seat of a white Ford Bronco on June 17, 1994 before Simpson ultimately surrendered at his Brentwood mansion. As confirmed by Cowlings's attorney to the Boston Herald in August 1994, Ippolito once helped Cowlings kick a freebase cocaine habit and in return, Cowlings asked a federal judge to release Ippolito on bail as he awaited trial on drug charges in 1993.The letter also said Ippolito was 'privy to many facts' from the infamous 1994 murder, 'including Mr. Simpson's alleged domestic violence' and 'the Simpsons' narcotics usage' Later, after being sentenced to 10 years behind bars, Ippolito walked away from a minimum-security style prison camp on a military base in Pensacola, Florida on May 6, 1994, according to a Boston Herald report at the time. It was after he was brought back into custody that Ippolito became a federal informant, according to the newly unsealed letter obtained by The Daily Mail.The letter broadly outlines Ippolito's testimony to investigators, but stops short of offering specifics. Crucially, it does not reveal if he implicated himself or others in the crime. The Herald also reported that the FBI and federal prosecutors had telephone records showing calls from Ippolito's Santa Monica restaurant to Simpson's Brentwood estate.As for Ippolito's alleged mafia connections, federal law enforcement officials claimed he was a member of the DeCavalcante crime family of New Jersey with ties to New York's Lucchese family. Ippolito was ultimately given credit for time served, as the government agreed not to prosecute him for drug distribution in California for the five years prior to his arrest. He was released from custody in 1998, according to records reviewed by The Times