The ongoing legal troubles of Alex Jones
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Infowars website coordinator Alex Jones gives a speech. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Families of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have accused Alex Jones of sending millions of dollars to himself while still claiming bankruptcy, NBC News reports.
Why it matters: Jones has faced a number of legal challenges since he was ordered to pay damages for spreading conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook shooting. At least one recent lawsuit has been stalled after Jones' company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy.
Driving the news: Families of nine victims asked a federal judge to order Jones to rescind his rights to Free Speech Systems, the parent company of Jones' website Infowars, according to NBC News.
- Jones has “systematically transferred millions of dollars” to himself and his family despite bankruptcy claims, the lawsuit says, per NBC.
- Jones "claims to owe a massive, secured debt to an insider that was first documented as a loan when the Sandy Hook Families were securing key wins in Connecticut and Texas, but no records show that an actual debt existed before the Sandy Hook Families sued," the families said, per NBC News.
- The family asked the court to start a committee to investigate Jones and his finances.
The big picture: Jones is facing a number of other legal challenges since a Texas jury ordered him to pay $45.2 million in punitive damages for calling the Sandy Hook shooting a hoax.
Texas: A trial in Texas is set to begin in September as Jones has been accused of defamation by another victim of Sandy Hook, Reuters reports.
Connecticut: Jones will stand trial in Connecticut after he was found liable for defamation of Sandy Hook victim's families, Reuters reports.
- The case was put on hold and moved to federal bankruptcy court after Free Speech Systems declared bankruptcy, Courthouse News reports.
- Russ Horton, a Texas attorney, said the lawsuit could potentially proceed against Jones personally separate from Free Speech Systems, per AP.
- The bankruptcy court also now has the power to examine Jones' finances, Horton told AP.
Attorneys: The judge involved in the Connecticut case said Jones' lawyers could face sanctions for releasing the plaintiffs' medical information without authorization, according to Reuters.
Jan. 6: The Jan. 6 committee has asked Jones to testify in their investigation, per the Associated Press.
- An attorney for Jones handed over two years' worth of texts to the committee, saying Jones was “cooperating with the committee," CNN reports.
Perjury: Jones could face a potential perjury charge, though it's still unclear if it'll happen since perjury prosecutions are rare, per Reuters.
- A lawyer in the Texas trial received files that contained Jones' text messages. Jones previously said he did not find any texts about Sandy Hook on his phone, Reuters reports.
