How Alex Jones' Infowars Ended Up Acquired by The Onion

The satirical news publication The Onion recently purchased Alex Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, marking the latest chapter in the prolonged legal battle between the far-right conspiracy theorist and the families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

This sale was mandated after numerous families of the 20 children and six educators lost in the tragedy successfully sued Jones and his company for defamation and emotional distress. Jones had falsely claimed on his show that the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting was a staged event orchestrated by "crisis actors" to push for stricter gun control measures.

Here’s a closer look at how Jones’ misinformation empire found itself on the auction block.

Jones, a Texas native with a bold broadcasting style, started his career shortly after high school in the early 1990s on a public-access channel. Early on, he promoted various conspiracy theories, claiming the U.S. government was part of a covert New World Order.

By 2004, Infowars was a small operation with just two employees, but the business quickly expanded. By 2007, Jones established Free Speech Systems to manage his media brand, and by 2010, he had over 60 employees. His audience and revenue grew as his content became more extreme, eventually reaching annual earnings of $80 million. At its peak, Infowars had fans across more than 100 radio stations, as well as a substantial following on its website and social media.

Jones admitted in court that he promoted the Sandy Hook massacre as a hoax, calling grieving parents “crisis actors” and declaring the event “phony as a three-dollar bill.” In response to defamation suits from families in both Connecticut and Texas, Jones eventually admitted in 2022 that the massacre was “100% real” and that it was “absolutely irresponsible” to suggest otherwise.

Families who sued Jones reported suffering years of harassment and abuse by people who believed the false narratives on his show. Courts in Texas and Connecticut held Jones accountable, awarding nearly $1.5 billion in damages to the families. Both judgments were entered by default after Jones repeatedly ignored court orders, leaving juries to determine the compensation amounts, with additional penalties added by judges.

The bankruptcy auction stemmed from Jones’ own personal bankruptcy case filed in late 2022. In an attempt to satisfy the massive judgment, Jones’ personal assets and Infowars properties went up for sale, from his studio desk to Infowars’ name, video archives, social media accounts, and trademarks. Even an armored truck and studio equipment were included.

The Onion purchased Infowars’ website, social media accounts, trademarks, video archives, and studio in Austin, Texas. The sale price has not been disclosed. Following the announcement, Infowars’ website was down, and Jones stated he was broadcasting from a new, undisclosed studio location.

Jones has pledged to challenge the auction process and sale in court.

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Author: Rafael Campos