Alex Jones offers to pay Newtown families at least $55 million over school shooting hoax conspiracy

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Renowned conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has put forth a bankruptcy proposal that pledges to allocate a minimum of $55 million over the course of a decade to the families affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy. This sum is a mere fraction of the $1.5 billion in damages awarded to these families through lawsuits filed against Jones. These lawsuits stemmed from Jones’ controversial statements that labeled the 2012 Newtown school shooting as a hoax.

In response, the aggrieved families have submitted their own proposal. Their plan entails the liquidation of a substantial portion of Jones’ assets, which includes his media company, Free Speech Systems. The funds obtained from this liquidation would be directed towards the families and other creditors. These divergent proposals were recently submitted to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston and will undergo extensive deliberation and scrutiny over the next two months. Hearings are scheduled for February, during which a final determination regarding the amount Jones is obligated to pay will be reached.

Notably, both Alex Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy in the previous year. This action occurred following the families being awarded over $1.4 billion in a Connecticut lawsuit and an additional $50 million in a Texas lawsuit. A third lawsuit in Texas remains pending, focusing on Jones’ conspiracy theories surrounding the school shooting, and was filed by the parents of another child who tragically lost their life during the event.

These bankruptcy filings have emerged just one day after the solemn 11th anniversary of the tragic event in which 20 first-graders and six educators lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012.

The families of the victims pursued legal action against Jones in Connecticut, accusing him of defamation and causing emotional distress. They based these allegations on Jones’ claims that the school shooting was a fabrication orchestrated by “crisis actors” as part of a scheme to bolster gun control measures. During a month-long trial in late 2022, eight relatives of the victims and an FBI agent testified about enduring years of threats and harassment from individuals who denied the reality of the shooting. Some were subjected to personal confrontations, while others faced abusive comments and threats on social media and via email, including death and rape threats.

As of now, Jones’ legal representatives have not provided immediate responses to email inquiries regarding these recent developments. Attorneys representing the Sandy Hook families have chosen to refrain from commenting on the matter.

It is worth noting that Jones’ new proposal to resolve the dispute involves payments of at least $5.5 million annually for a decade, accompanied by a portion of his income streams. This offer does not appear to deviate significantly from the one presented by Free Speech Systems in their bankruptcy case the previous month, which aimed to allocate approximately $4 million annually, a decrease from earlier estimates ranging from $7 million to $10 million per year. Free Speech Systems projected earnings of approximately $19.2 million for the upcoming year from the sale of dietary supplements, clothing, and other merchandise promoted on Jones’ shows. Operating expenses, including salaries, were estimated at $14.3 million.

In his personal financial statements submitted to the bankruptcy court, Jones listed approximately $13 million in total assets, including around $856,000 held in various bank accounts. A judge recently granted Jones permission to sell certain assets, including firearms, vehicles, and jewelry, to generate funds for creditors.

In contrast, the families’ proposal calls for the establishment of a trust that would liquidate a substantial portion of Jones’ assets, excluding his primary residence and other holdings protected under bankruptcy laws. This trust would possess broad authority, including the ability to recover funds from transfers made by Jones to other parties if such transactions were deemed unlawful.

The families have expressed concerns about Jones’ personal expenditures, which exceeded $90,000 per month during the current year. Additionally, they have an ongoing lawsuit alleging that Jones concealed millions of dollars in an effort to safeguard his wealth, a claim that one of Jones’ legal representatives has deemed “ridiculous.”

Jones continues to challenge the $1.5 billion awarded to the families through lawsuits, maintaining that his statements regarding the shooting were protected by his right to free speech.

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• Alex Jones offers to pay Newtown families $55 million over school shooting hoax conspiracy
• Sandy Hook families awarded over $1.4 billion in Connecticut lawsuit
• Sandy Hook families awarded $50 million in Texas lawsuit
• Sandy Hook families submit proposal to liquidate Alex Jones’ assets
• Final determination on Alex Jones’ payments scheduled for February
• Details of the Sandy Hook families’ lawsuits against Alex Jones
• Alex Jones’ appeal of $1.5 billion lawsuit awards