By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-11-14 14:31:49 | Updated at 2024-11-22 03:54:08
1 week ago
Alex Jones' Infowars has been bought by The Onion at a bankruptcy auction.
The satirical publication said the bid was sanctioned by the families of Sandy Hook Elementary victims who won a $1.4 billion defamation lawsuit against Jones in 2022.
The auction stemmed from Jones' personal bankruptcy case , which he filed in late 2022 after the families won lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas over his claims that the school shooting was a hoax.
Infowars will be relaunched in January as a new parody of itself under The Onion umbrella, as reported by The New York Times.
Ben Collins, the chief executive of The Onion's parent company, Global Tetrahedron, said it will mock 'weird internet personalities' like Jones who spread conspiracy theories.
The Onion has declined to disclose how much it paid for Infowars. The purchase includes the Infowars' studio and a diet supplement business.
'From day one, these families have fought against all odds to bring true accountability to Alex Jones and his corrupt business,' said Chris Mattei, attorney for the Connecticut plaintiffs.
Alex Jones warned his viewers that Infowars could shut down in the coming days as his assets go to auction
'Our clients knew that true accountability meant an end to Infowars and an end to Jones’ ability to spread lies, pain and fear at scale. After surviving unimaginable loss with courage and integrity, they rejected Jones’ hollow offers for allegedly more money if they would only let him stay on the air because doing so would have put other families in harm’s way,'
'They are heroes, and it has been an honor and privilege to be their advocate throughout this fight. By divesting Jones of Infowars’ assets, the families and the team at The Onion have done a public service and will meaningfully hinder Jones’ ability to do more harm.'
The conspiracy theorist shared on his show Monday that depending on who purchases the company, Infowars may have to shut down.
'Infowars could be closed down Wednesday if a hostile buyer gets it at action. Infowars will continue if the good guys are able to win the auction,' Jones said on X.
