The far-right website Infowars and two other companies owned by radio host Alex Jones have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in light of several defamation cases. The documents were filed in the US Insolvency Court in the Southern District of Texas.
The insolvency proceedings under Chapter 11 stop pending civil cases, while allowing businesses to continue to operate while preparing a reversal plan.
Court documents seen by CBS News show that the companies that filed the documents are Infowars, IWHealth, also known as Infowars Health, and Prison Planet TV.
Infowars says in the documentation that it has assets from $ 0 to $ 50,000 and liabilities from $ 1,000,001 to $ 10 million.
Separately, a judge ruled that Jones received $ 75,000 in fines, which he paid to a Connecticut court for failing to appear in court last month because of allegations that the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a fraud.
Alex Jones in a photo without a date. CBS News
Relatives of some of the 20 children and six educators killed in the 2012 Newtown Massacre in Connecticut have sued Jones for allegations that they have been harassed and threatened with death by Jones’ followers. A judge found that Jones was responsible for the damage, and the process of how much he had to pay the families was scheduled for August.
Jones has also been found responsible for damages in similar defamation cases from relatives of victims in Texas, where the trial will begin later this month.
Jones has since said he believes the shooting happened.
Judge Barbara Belis of Waterbury, Connecticut, ordered a refund on Thursday because Jones eventually appeared on rescheduled testimony. The fines, which escalated every day, were intended to ensure that Jones appeared for questioning.
Jones said he missed the testimony on March 23 and 24 in Austin, Texas – Jones’ home and InfoWars – due to a medical problem involving dizziness. He said his doctors first thought it was a serious heart problem, but later it turned out to be a sinus infection. Belis said there was not enough evidence that Jones was too ill to testify.
Jones paid a daily fine of $ 25,000 for April 1 and another $ 50,000 daily fine for April 4. He then attended a demonstration in Bridgeport on April 5 and 6.
Family lawyer Sandy Hook declined to comment on Friday. A message was left for Jones’s lawyer.
Rampage Primary School
More more
Add Comment