AUSTIN, Texas — A state judge has appointed a receiver to take control of Alex Jones’ Infowars assets as part of a court order aimed at satisfying over $1 billion in legal judgments owed to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. The ruling, issued by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble on Wednesday, could soon lead to Jones losing access to his studio, impacting his broadcasting operations.
The order has reignited interest from The Onion, a satirical publication, which expressed intentions to acquire Infowars and transform it into a parody platform. Ben Collins, The Onion’s CEO, confirmed their efforts in a social media post, stating, “We’re working on it.”
Despite the impending changes, Jones vowed to continue broadcasting, asserting on his show that he had contingency plans in place. “People want to hear this show,” he said, maintaining that he would keep his network operational even if the court order leads to his being locked out of his studio.
The legal troubles stem from a series of lawsuits where Sandy Hook families sought damages for defamation and emotional distress after Jones perpetuated false claims that the 2012 shooting was a hoax. In 2022, he and his company, Free Speech Systems, were ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion by courts in Connecticut and Texas. Victims’ relatives testified in the trials about the harassment they faced from Jones’ followers.
In the wake of those judgments, both Jones and Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy. A federal court had previously mandated an auction of the company’s assets, including Infowars’ production gear, to help fund the payments owed to the Sandy Hook families. However, the process ran into complications when the auction’s outcome was called into question.
Judge Christopher Lopez expressed concerns about the transparency and fairness of the auction process, which had resulted in The Onion being declared the winning bidder. This outcome was challenged, prompting a return to state courts for the families to pursue liquidation of Jones’ assets.
Under the new order, Free Speech Systems has a five-day window to hand over its assets. Any proceeds generated from the sale will be directed toward compensating the Sandy Hook families. The court authorization also permits the receiver to change locks and call on law enforcement to assist in the transition and ensure that the process proceeds without interference.
As of Thursday, it was unclear when the order would officially be served or when the receiver would begin taking control of the assets. Gregory Milligan, the appointed receiver, did not respond to requests for comment regarding liquidation plans, and Jones’ attorney, Ben Broocks, also did not provide a response.
On his broadcast, Jones contended that the state court ruling was invalid, citing that the assets remained under the jurisdiction of a federal bankruptcy trustee. He mentioned a state court hearing set for September 16 that could influence future operations of Infowars. During a previous auction controversy in November, there was a brief shutdown of the Infowars studio, but broadcasting resumed shortly afterward.
Jones has continued to appeal the decisions against him, claiming that he is exercising his free speech rights. He has maintained his stance that the Sandy Hook tragedy was genuine, despite previous statements disputing its reality.
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