O.J. Simpson's associate may have played a role in the aftermath of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman ... according to a new investigation by The New York Times.

The report focuses on Joseph "Joey" Ippolito, a convicted drug trafficker who reportedly had ties to Simpson and served as a government informant.

Ippolito's brother, Sam, claimed to The Times Joey came home the night of the 1994 murders with blood on his hands and a heavy bag.

According to the report, after Joey returned home he allegedly stuffed his clothes into the bag and asked Sam to get rid of it while he showered -- with Sam telling the times he tossed the bag into a dumpster near a construction site along Doheny Drive.

Sam never established what was inside the bag and the defense nor the prosecution called on Joey or his brother to testify as a witness in the murder case. 

The Times also examined federal records suggesting Ippolito provided authorities with information about Simpson and the missing murder weapon, which was never recovered.

However, the allegations remain unproven, and a former prosecutor who worked with Ippolito told the Times he did not believe Ippolito was involved in the killings.

As you know … Simpson was acquitted of the murders in 1995 but was later found liable for Nicole and Ron's deaths in a civil trial. He died in 2024.

The LAPD has told the Times the double-murder case remains open, due to no one being convicted in the murders, and the department remains committed to pursuing justice. A spokesman added detectives will investigate any new leads if additional evidence emerges.