O.J. Simpson recently admitted he participated in the ill-fated "If I Did It" book and interview project for one reason - personal profit, acknowledging that any financial gain was "blood money".

"This was an opportunity for my kids to get their financial legacy," Simpson said in interviews this week after the book deal was abandoned by its publisher.

"My kids understand. I made it clear that it's blood money, but it's no different than any of the other writers who did books on this case," Simpson said.

The book, said to describe how he theoretically would have committed the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, had been scheduled for release on November 30 following the airing of a two-part Simpson interview on Fox on Monday and Wednesday.

Owners of Fox Broadcasting and publisher Harper Collins, canceled the project after a public outcry and objections by advertisers and booksellers reports BBC.

NYtimes reports, the furore is far from over for mogul Rupert Murdoch and his News Corp media empire.

The families of both Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman, who was murdered with her over a decade ago, have accused the Murdoch empire of trying to buy their silence.

Mr Murdoch personally pulled the plug after his organization was accused of exploiting the notorious double murders. But Nicole's sister, Denise Brown, told a TV interviewer last week that she and others had been approached by a company representative before the cancellation, and essentially asked how much it would take to keep them happy.

"They wanted to offer us millions of dollars," she said,"for, like, 'oh I'm sorry' money. But they were still going to air the show." The family turned the offer down flat. A News Corp spokesman acknowledged that negotiations over money had taken place with both families, but insisted there were "no strings attached".

In a radio interview on Wednesday, Simpson said the project was not a confession to the slayings.

"I made it clear from the first day I met the writer that I wasn't involved," Simpson said in a telephone interview broadcast on Miami's WTPS-AM, adding, "I said, 'I have nothing to confess.'"

Now, OJ Simpson says he was paid for his scrapped book and TV show IF I Did It - and has already spent the money.

Simpson insists he has still picked up his paycheque - reportedly $3.5m - and has already reaped the financial benefit.

He says: "Would everybody stop being so naive? Of course I got paid. I spend the money on my bills. It's gone."