Infowars has a new owner.
The show started 30 years ago by Alex Jones, the Austin-based carnival-barker-turned-conspiracy-peddler, was bought out by the satirical publication The Onion and families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre at a federal bankruptcy auction Wednesday.
The bid to buy Free Speech Systems, the show's parent company, must be approved by the federal bankruptcy court overseeing the liquidation.
This is not a joke, according to a court filing Thursday.
Jones owes the families $1.5 billion in restitution after he was found guilty of defamation in Texas and Connecticut. For years on his flagship show, Infowars, Jones called the relatives of the mass shooting that killed 20 children and six adults "crisis actors," making them the target of death threats and harassment.
Jones declared bankruptcy in 2022. A federal bankruptcy court has begun selling off the media empire he built to pay the Sandy Hook families.
Jones' media and intellectual property went to auction Wednesday. The Onion and the Sandy Hook families submitted a successful bid to buy Free Speech Systems. Families will give up some of their damages to pay for the purchase, NPR reports.
Jones' remaining assets related to Infowars will go to auction early next month.
In a statement, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families said the move represents "true accountability" for families in their yearslong case against Jones.
"They are heroes, and it has been an honor and privilege to be their advocate throughout this fight," Christopher Mattei said. "By divesting Jones of Infowars’ assets, the families and the team at The Onion have done a public service and will meaningfully hinder Jones’ ability to do more harm.”
As of Thursday morning, Jones was still broadcasting from his South Austin studio. Jones said he didn't believe the bidding process was competitive, balking at the purchase by The Onion and said he would challenge the offer in court.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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