US federal judge in Texas blocks sale of Alex Jones' InfoWars media outlet
Date
12/14/2024 12:07:51 PM
(MENAFN) A US federal judge in Texas has blocked the sale of Alex Jones' InfoWars media outlet, citing flaws in the auction process. Jones, the controversial right-wing figure, filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $1.5 billion in defamation damages for falsely claiming that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax. The ruling came after a Connecticut court found Jones guilty of causing emotional distress to the victims' families through his repeated claims that the tragedy, which killed 20 children and six adults, was staged by the US government.
Jones eventually admitted that the shooting was "100% real." In a ruling on Tuesday, US Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez allowed the trustee overseeing the auction to determine the next steps for InfoWars.
Last month, satirical outlet The Onion emerged as the winning bidder, offering $1.75 million with backing from the pro-gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety. The only other bidder, First United American Companies, a supplement firm tied to Jones, bid $3.5 million. Despite this, the trustee favored The Onion’s bid, arguing that some Sandy Hook families had agreed to forgo $750,000 of the proceeds to pay off Jones’ creditors.
Jones, who has criticized the auction process as a “fraudulent” attack on free speech, hailed the judge's decision as a step in the right direction. While Jones expressed hope that his supporters would win the auction, he has already set up contingency plans with a backup studio, websites, and social media accounts in case The Onion's bid prevails.
InfoWars, founded in 1999, was once a highly trafficked media platform, drawing millions of viewers with its attacks on political elites and conspiracy theories about globalist agendas.
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