Infamous conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and his media platform, Infowars, are set to be sold off in auctions this fall following an order by a federal judge to pay over $1 billion to families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Jones gained notoriety for spreading baseless claims about the shooting being a hoax, leading to harassment and threats towards the families of the victims. The auctions will include assets such as trademarks, copyrighted material, and websites, while Jones’ personal social media accounts may also be liquidated.
Two civil trials in Texas and Connecticut resulted in massive awards to the families of the victims, who suffered immense emotional distress because of Jones’ conspiracies. The families won nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuits, leading Jones and his company to file for bankruptcy protection in 2022. Despite this, Jones is appealing the verdicts, citing free speech rights and denying any connection between his comments and the actions of his followers. Jones has acknowledged that the Sandy Hook shooting did happen, despite his previous claims.
Jones has vowed to continue his talk shows through other means after losing Infowars, potentially through a new website and social media channels. He has suggested that his assets could be bought by his supporters, allowing him to continue hosting his show under the Infowars brand in Austin, Texas. While his personal social media accounts are excluded from the auctions, the families of the Sandy Hook victims are seeking a portion of all of Jones’ future earnings to help pay off his debt. The sell-off order will put Infowars’ intellectual property up for auction, with the remaining assets to be sold later.
The families of the Sandy Hook victims who won the Connecticut lawsuit view the signing of the auction order as a significant step forward in holding Jones accountable for the harm he caused. They hope that Jones will no longer own or control the company he built, bringing them closer to their goal of justice. It remains unclear how much money the auctions will raise or how much the families will receive. The sale of Infowars and Jones’ assets will first pay off lawyers, financial experts, and others involved in the bankruptcy cases before addressing any remaining debts.
One legal dispute in the bankruptcy case involves whether Free Speech Systems owes money to another Jones-owned company, PQPR Holdings Limited. If the debt is found to be valid, it could impact the amount that the Sandy Hook families receive from the liquidations. However, the families remain hopeful that the auctions will bring them closer to holding Jones accountable for the impact of his conspiracy theories. Jones, despite his forthcoming loss of Infowars, plans to persevere with his shows and continue his controversial content through alternative platforms.
