A Texas judge has ruled that Alex Jones must use his Infowars media empire to pay over $1 billion in debts owed to families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School victims. The decision, issued Wednesday by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austin, places Jones’ assets under the control of a court-appointed receiver, who will oversee the sale of Infowars and other holdings tied to Free Speech Systems LLC.
Jones’ company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022 after courts ordered him to pay nearly $1.5 billion to families who sued him for defamation. The lawsuits stemmed from Jones’ repeated claims that the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre—which left 20 children and six adults dead—was a staged hoax. Jones later withdrew those statements and issued an apology, but the families argued the damage had already been done.
The court’s ruling could force Infowars’ studios to shut down as assets are liquidated. Reports suggest satirical outlet The Onion is once again pursuing a bid to buy the brand and turn it into a parody site. “We’re working on it,” Onion CEO Ben Collins said in a social media post Wednesday.
Jones reacted defiantly to the ruling, vowing to keep broadcasting. “People want to hear this show. I will continue on with the network. They can harass me forever. … And they won’t get me off the air,” he told listeners Thursday.
Attorneys for the Sandy Hook families welcomed the decision, saying it moves them closer to accountability after years of legal battles. “Today’s order brings us a critically important step closer to achieving the goal that the Connecticut families have spent years fighting for: holding Alex Jones accountable for years of harm,” one lawyer stated.
