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Latin Times
Latin Times
National
Maryam Khanum

Alex Jones Forced to Dismantle Infowars to Pay Off $1 Billion Debt to Sandy Hook Families

Far-right radio host Alex Jones was ordered to pay almost $1 billion in damages to the families and victims of the Sandy Hook massacre after claiming for years that they were 'crisis actors' and that the incident was 'faked.' (Credit: Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images.)

A federal judge is expected to approve an order forcing Alex Jones to disassemble Infowars, the conspiracy theory peddling media platform he created in 1999, so that it can be auctioned off in fragments in order to help pay off the $1.5 billion its founder owes relatives of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The auction, which U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston is set to approve and will begin in November, will allow attendees to buy Infowars' website, social media accounts, broadcasting equipment, product trademarks and inventory owned by Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems.

Jones has floated the possibility of him remaining a part of Infowars and continuing to host his self-titled show as an employee if Infowars were to be purchased by one or more members of his fanbase.

"It's very cut and dry that the assets of Free Speech Systems, the website, the equipment, the shopping cart, all that, can be sold," Jones stated on a show recently. "And they know full well that there are a bunch of patriot buyers, and then the operation can ease on."

The order's approval would also force Jones to sell personal assets, including a multi-million dollar ranch, cars, guns and more. Recent court filings demonstrate that Jones owns about $8.6 million worth of personal assets, while Free Speech Systems generates up to $3.2 million of revenue monthly.

In 2022, the families of Sandy Hook victims won about $1.5 billion in lawsuits against Jones for defamation and emotional distress after he insisted repeatedly for years that the tragedy had been fabricated in a government scheme to enforce gun control measures.

"You know, after you lose your daughter, they put you on some antidepressants or something, but I thought those take a month to kick in. I mean, it's like a look of absolute satisfaction, like he's about to accept an Oscar." Jones said of a parent of one of the victims killed in the mass shooting.

The conspiracy theorist, who is supported by J.D. Vance, caused relatives of the victims to themselves become victims of harassment and online abuse.

"FSS will now be sold at auction, meaning Alex Jones will no longer own or control the company he built," said attorney for the Sandy Hook families Chris Mattei. "This brings the families closer to their goal of holding him accountable for the harm he has caused."

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