A judge ruled on Friday that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must liquidate his personal assets due to his false claims about the Sandy Hook shooting. However, the judge dismissed the bankruptcy case for Jones’ company, Infowars, which leaves its future uncertain as Jones owes $1.5 billion.
Judge Christopher Lopez agreed to change Jones’ personal bankruptcy from reorganization to liquidation. But he rejected the bankruptcy filing for Jones’ company, Free Speech Systems, based in Austin, Texas. This decision came after Jones failed to settle with Sandy Hook families on plans to reorganize the company and repay them millions.
What happens next for Free Speech Systems, the parent company of Infowars, isn’t clear yet.
Over the past 25 years, Jones turned Infowars into a profitable business by selling supplements and other products.
Jones and the lawyers representing Sandy Hook families both believe Infowars will likely stop operating soon because of its massive debt. A trustee appointed in Jones’ personal bankruptcy case now controls his assets, including Infowars, according to Sandy Hook families’ lawyers.
With the dismissal of Free Speech Systems’ bankruptcy case, the families can now start collecting the $1.5 billion from Jones and his company. They won defamation lawsuits in Texas and Connecticut, and may try to sell off Infowars’ assets as part of the collection process.