A Texas court has ruled that Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist behind Infowars, must liquidate the assets of his company to cover over $1 billion in damages owed to the families affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.
This decision, signed by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austin, appoints specific individuals to oversee the sale of Infowars’ assets. These assets include property, recording equipment, and brand names, and make it seem likely that Jones might soon be barred from accessing his studio.
The staggering amount he owes is reported to be $1,288,139,555, as outlined in court documents.
The ruling seems to revive earlier attempts by Onion, a satirical outlet, to acquire Infowars and transform the platform into a parody site. Ben Collins, CEO of Onion, mentioned their ongoing efforts in a social media update on Wednesday.
Last year, Onion secured a victory in a bankruptcy auction for Infowars, with backing from the Sandy Hook families. However, a federal judge halted the sale in December, expressing concerns about the process used in the bidding.
On his daily show Thursday, Jones criticized the court’s intervention, arguing that Infowars has already established a new studio elsewhere. He asserted, “People want to hear this show,” indicating that he plans to continue networking despite the legal pressures.
The lawsuit against Jones was initiated by the victims’ families in 2018, targeting him for spreading false claims that the Sandy Hook shooting—a tragedy that took 26 lives, including 20 children—was a hoax. In 2022, he was found liable for defamation.
In the aftermath of the shooting, perpetrated by 20-year-old Adam Lanza with a Bushmaster AR-15-style rifle, gun control debates gained significant traction. Lanza took his own life after the attack.
Everytown for Gun Safety, an organization formed after the Sandy Hook incident to combat gun violence, has expressed intentions to promote awareness through the potential sale of the site if it goes through.
One of the family lawyers remarked that the court’s decision marks a crucial step in their prolonged effort to bring accountability to Jones for the lasting harm he has caused, highlighting the importance of justice for the victims’ families.
Attempts to reach Jones’ legal representatives for a comment were unsuccessful.
