In a significant blow to Alex Jones, a U.S. bankruptcy judge has ordered the liquidation of his personal assets to pay the hefty $1.5 billion in defamation damages owed to the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. However, the judge did not extend this liquidation order to Jones' company, Free Speech Systems, which operates his Infowars media platform.
On June 14, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez ruled that while Jones' personal assets must be sold, his media company could continue to operate under court supervision. This decision came after intense litigation and disputes over the management of Jones' assets and the operational future of Infowars.
Alex Jones Responds To Reports of Infowars Imminent Closure pic.twitter.com/lKsvdieGnR
— Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) June 24, 2024
The judge appointed a Chapter 7 trustee to oversee the sale of Jones' personal assets, which includes his ownership stake in Free Speech Systems. This move is aimed at generating funds to compensate the families of the 20 children and six adults killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. Jones had falsely claimed the massacre was a hoax staged by actors as part of a government plot to impose gun control, leading to harassment of the victims' families by his followers.
Despite this partial victory for Jones, the court's decision highlights ongoing challenges. Jones has maintained operational control of Infowars, leveraging his platform to claim victimhood and rally support. During recent broadcasts, Jones called for his supporters to protect his studio and disparaged the court-appointed restructuring officer, escalating tensions around the case.
GILLIS: "Hey, remember when Alex Jones got sued for a billion dollars? And then the people that killed a million people in Iraq didn't face any repercussions?"
ROGAN: "What's the real misinformation?" pic.twitter.com/c5dQunbEOB
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) June 17, 2024
The Sandy Hook families continue to push for greater control over Jones' assets and have filed motions to convert Free Speech Systems' bankruptcy reorganization into a complete liquidation. They argue that Jones has not shown any credible plan to pay the damages and accuse him of hiding assets through other entities he controls. These legal battles are expected to intensify as the families seek immediate collection of the owed damages.
Financial records reveal that Jones' personal wealth includes approximately $9 million in assets, with significant expenditures on his Austin-area home and other real estate holdings. Meanwhile, Free Speech Systems reported nearly $4 million in cash and substantial monthly revenue from its sales of dietary supplements and other products promoted on Infowars.
The court's decision to allow Infowars to continue operating temporarily means the fate of the company will be decided by the appointed trustees, who will determine the best course of action to maximize the amount Jones' creditors can recover. Legal experts suggest that without Jones' active promotion, the value of Infowars might diminish significantly, complicating the liquidation process.
In summary, while Jones' personal assets are set for liquidation, the future of Infowars remains uncertain as legal battles continue. This outcome underscores the complexities of enforcing financial judgments in high-profile defamation cases and the ongoing struggles of the Sandy Hook families to achieve justice and closure.
Sorry for what happened to all. But Alex Jones is not the bad guy. The shooter and the government are for not doing something about mental health. Jones had a opinion and that’s it. Sandyhook and the police department should be the ones loosing everything. They made a soft target and the shooter took full advantage of it.