A federal bankruptcy judge ruled that Free Speech Systems, the media company built by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, will be sold off, marking a pivotal moment in a years-long battle for accountability.
The sale, which is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy proceedings, is expected to generate proceeds that will go directly to the families of Sandy Hook victims, who were awarded $1.5 billion in damages for the lies Jones spread about them and their children in the 2012 school shooting. Jones falsely claimed that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax, and fueled harassment and threats against the families for years.
The judge’s ruling signals a significant step toward justice for the families who have suffered not only the loss of their loved ones, but also have dealt with years of additional trauma caused by Jones and his followers.
The court’s decision to allow the sale of Free Speech Systems, the parent company of Infowars, is a big win for the Sandy Hook families, according to Chris Mattei, one of the attorneys representing the families. “This brings the families closer to their goal of holding him accountable for the harm he has caused,” Mattei said.
The assets up for sale also include production equipment, domain names and even the brand’s online store that sells vitamins and supplements. Jones’ attorneys are already preparing to fight the sale of his X.com account, arguing that it is his personal property and cannot be auctioned off.
As for the final payment, court filings suggest the total payout will be under $8 million — a small fraction of the $1.5 billion the families are owed.
