I wrote earlier about how the net was tightening around this spreader of all manner of false and malicious information, including some that made life a living hell for the families of the Sandy Hook massacre, who were already suffering because of the murder of their children. He was under increasing legal pressure and has now started the process by which rich people, like the Sacklers, try to avoid paying for their behavior, by declaring bankruptcy.
Companies owned by US radio host Alex Jones, including his right-wing website InfoWars, have filed for bankruptcy.
The move comes as he fights defamation suits brought by families of those killed in a 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school.
Mr Jones, who falsely claimed the shooting was a hoax, has been ordered to pay damages in the lawsuits.
Those efforts will be complicated by his decision to seek protection from creditors in bankruptcy court.
In the US, declaring bankruptcy provides a route for companies to remain in operation and negotiate their debts, with settlements overseen by the court. It puts a hold on other litigation.
…In three separate lawsuits, families of those killed at Sandy Hook have said his lies enriched his business, including InfoWars, while leading to their harassment by his followers.
They won the lawsuits last year after Mr Jones denied the claims but refused to present evidence such as financial records in court.
This month, juries were set to start determining how much he owes the families.
…In the bankruptcy filing, InfoWars listed its estimated assets in the range of $0-$50,000 and estimated liabilities in the range of $1m to $10m.
Notice how he claims that his assets are less than $50,000! This is the usual strategy of those seeking to use bankruptcy laws to evade the legal consequences of their actions, to deplete the assets of the entity that is being sued by shifting assets elsewhere, so that there is little money to be given out when they. lose. Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families will investigate where Jones’s assets have been stashed.
Jones is a despicable excuse for a human being and, like the Sacklers, should not be allowed to escape the consequences of their actions by hiding behind bankruptcy laws.
Meanwhile, after being levied hefty daily fines for skipping legal deposition hearings on the Sandy Hook lawsuits, he finally turned up on April 5th and 6th.
He previously “offered” to pay $120,000 per plaintiff — and now claims to have only at most $50,000 ? I presume the former figure is in Monopoly money, still he can’t possibly be lying yet again now… can he ?
Alex Jones is not one for subtly. He has rather overtly moved most of the money and assets of Infowars to other companies. At least one lawsuit over him hiding money has already been filed because the plaintiff’s lawyers already had a list of companies Jones was using. Jones will just shuffle the money around and make it take as long as possible in court.
If you could claim immunity from collections due to mental and moral bankruptcy, Alex Jones would be invulnerable.
Just shoot him.
re Marcus@4: yes, Yes, YES, YESYESYESYES!!!!!! In the head!!!!!! And take EVERYTHING he owns and distribute it to the families of Sandy Hook victims.
Just a reminder to anyone: their behaviour was knowingly falsifying study data with the intent of misinforming doctors about the addictiveness of their products, so that doctors would over-prescribe said products.
Xpost from Pharyngula:
Alex Jones is very rich at $135 million and makes 1/2 million a month.
Complete lie.
That only works if they looted the company and put it all in their personal bank accounts. Which I’m sure they did.
Jones himself is worth many millions.
This source says Alex Jones is worth $135 million and makes 1/2 million a month.
There is a lot of money moving around in the GOP/fundie xian lunatic fringes.
Alex Jones made his $135 million partly on the backs of those 20 Sandy Hook parents who lost their children in the shooting.
It is money soaked in blood.
Unclear why it matters what the status of the companies is… Aren’t they suing him personally? And if not, why not?