The Onion, the Chicago-based satirical news company, won a bid Wednesday in a private bankruptcy auction to acquire conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars and related assets to his media empire, with backing from the families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, who are owed compensation due to Jones’ years of dismissing the massacre.
Families of Sandy Hook victims support the new deal
According to The Associated Press, Jones spread false claims about the Sandy Hook shooting, calling it a hoax, which led to over $1 billion in defamation judgments against him. The families have supported this move, viewing it as a form of justice for the 20 children and six teachers killed in the 2012 Connecticut shooting.
“The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was among the victims killed in the shooting, said in a statement from his lawyers, per AP.
Jones breaks silence on Infowars sale
While the sale price remains was not made public, The Onion now owns the Infowars website; video archive; social media accounts; studio in Austin, Texas; and trademarks, per AP. Jones, 50, shared a video Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter, providing an update about the sale to his followers.
“I just got word 15 minutes ago that my lawyers and folks met with the U.S. trustee over our bankruptcy this morning, and they said they are shutting us down even without a court order this morning,” Jones said.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to be here until they come and turn the lights off,” he added.
The Onion partners with Everytown for Gun Safety to raise awareness
Jones founded Infowars in 1999, which is operated under Free Speech Systems with around $6 million in cash and $1.2 million in inventory, according to June court filings obtained by NBC News.
Despite his earlier claims about Sandy Hook, Jones has since testified in court multiple times, stating that he now believes the shooting was “100% real.” However, the litigation between him and the families in Connecticut and Texas remains ongoing, per NBC News.
The Onion also reached a multiyear agreement with Everytown for Gun Safety — the anti-violence organization will be the exclusive advertiser on the new Infowars website in order to highlight gun control and related issues.
