OJ Simpson 'accused of casino hotel break-in'

The bankrupt American football legend is said to have barged into the Palace Station Casino and demanded the return of 'personal possessions' he said were stolen from him.

One of the items allegedly taken was the suit Simpson wore on the day he was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ronald Goldman in Los Angeles 12 years ago.

The sportsman turned actor was acquitted of the killing in the so-called 'trial of the century' in 1995.

But two years later he was found liable for the deaths in a civil court, although he has paid off little of the £19million judgment against him.

Memorabilia dealer Alfred Beardsley claimed Simpson, 60, and five other men - two with guns drawn - burst into his hotel room on Thursday night.

According to website TMZ.com, Mr Beardsley said that the men with Simpson claimed to be police officers.

He said they took a case full of copies of Simpson's never-released book, I Want To Tell You, as well as the suit. He also claimed he was 'roughed up' by one of the men.

Auctioneer Thomas Riccio, who claimed to be a witness of the break-in, said he had earlier told Simpson that Mr Beardsley was interested in selling personal items that once belonged to him.

Mr Riccio arranged to meet the memorabilia dealer at the ageing hotel off the Las Vegas Strip and was present when Simpson arrived with his entourage.

He claimed the seller said he had taken the items from Simpson because the former sports star owed him money.

But Simpson allegedly insisted on taking the items, saying they were rightfully his.

Mr Riccio said Simpson never acted violently during the ordeal.

Simpson was questioned and later released by police investigating the robbery.

The latest scandal came on the day Simpson's controversial book, If I Did It, was published in the U.S. by Mr Goldman's father Fred. He was awarded the rights by a bankruptcy judge.

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All the profits from the memoir - in which Simpson appears to describe how he carried out the double killing - will go to the Goldman family as part of the civil judgment.

The book has led to a rift between the Goldman family and Mrs Simpson's sister Denise, who never wanted it released.

She said: "Here we have a man who Fred believes murdered his son, that I believe murdered my sister, and we are reading his words. He's a sick individual."

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Police spokesman Jose Montoya confirmed Simpson was a suspect.

"We're getting conflicting stories from both sides," he said.

"When officers talked to him, Simpson made the comment that be believed the memorabilia was his."

He added that Simpson, who lives in Miami, was still in Las Vegas last night. "We don't believe he's going anywhere," he added.