In a dramatic twist, satirical news outlet The Onion outbid competitors at a bankruptcy auction to acquire Alex Jones’ infamous Infowars platform.
The sale comes after Jones faced a series of defamation lawsuits from the families of victims killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who were awarded over $1 billion in damages for Jones’ claims that the tragedy was a hoax.
The families confirmed the deal on Thursday, although the sale price remains undisclosed. Robbie Parker, whose daughter Emilie was among the 20 children and six educators killed in the shooting, called the acquisition a long-awaited victory. “The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for,” he stated, in a message shared by his lawyers.
Jones, 50, confirmed the news in a social media post, expressing his plans to fight the sale. “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,” he wrote. “The Connecticut Democrats with The Onion newspaper bought us,” he added, clearly dismayed.
Jones, who founded Infowars in 1999, was reportedly distraught while broadcasting from his Austin, Texas studio on Thursday, as he processed the shocking development.
As for The Onion, it’s unclear what the publication intends to do with the platform, including its website, social media accounts, and assets like its studio and video archive. The purchase follows years of legal battles initiated by the Sandy Hook families, who sued Jones for defamation and emotional distress after he falsely claimed the massacre was staged by “crisis actors” to push gun control.
