A strange and serious courtroom drama is unfolding in Texas as The Onion, a famous satirical news website, tries to buy Infowars, the conspiracy theory platform created by Alex Jones. A judge will soon decide if the recent bankruptcy auction for Infowars was fair after Jones claimed the process was rigged.
What’s Happening?
Back in November, Infowars went up for auction as part of Alex Jones’ bankruptcy case. Jones filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion to families of Sandy Hook school shooting victims. He had falsely claimed the 2012 tragedy was a hoax aimed at promoting gun control.
The Onion made a surprising bid of $1.75 million, hoping to turn Infowars into a parody site. Another bidder, First United American Companies — connected to Jones — offered $3.5 million, twice The Onion’s bid.
Why Did The Onion Win?
The auction trustee, Christopher Murray, chose The Onion’s bid, saying it would give more money to Jones’ creditors. The Onion promised that some Sandy Hook families would give up part of their share, allowing other creditors to receive an extra $100,000.
Jones Calls It Unfair
Jones and his affiliated company weren’t happy. They accused Murray, The Onion, and the Sandy Hook families of working together in secret and breaking auction rules. Murray denied the accusations, calling them an attempt by a losing bidder to change the auction’s outcome.
What’s Being Sold?
The auction included Infowars’ studio equipment, social media accounts, websites, video archives, and product trademarks. Jones, however, isn’t giving up. He’s already set up a new studio and platforms just in case he loses Infowars for good.
Meanwhile, Jones is still fighting the $1.5 billion court ruling, claiming free speech rights — though he has finally admitted the Sandy Hook shooting was real.
