[Judge’s Gavel. Photo Credit to Rawpixel]

InfoWars host and a far-right conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones filed for bankruptcy on Dec. 3 after being charged with approximately 1.4 billion dollars for defamation regarding the spread of false information about the Sandpiper shooting over a decade ago. 

The bankruptcy filing will cause a delay in the payment for the victims’ families and further investigation into Mr. Jones’ personal finances as well as his claims of bankruptcy. 

Allison Lee, a supporter of Sandpiper victims, said, “Alex Jones’ file for bankruptcy is a clear attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions, and I believe that the judiciary system will be able to get to the bottom of this.” 

With a net worth of over 100 million dollars and an annual income of around 70 million, Alex Jones’ claims of bankruptcy are under question, and many doub this intentions.

The families claim that Mr. Jones has funneled his wealth through his family members and personal assets, which he claims are only worth 1 to 30 million dollars. 

Investigators are trying to determine whether said assets are worth what Mr. Jones claims and whether he has hidden his fortunes elsewhere. 

An economics student, Joshua Kim, said, “Bankruptcy can be a double-edged sword. It can, on the one hand, allow individuals to restart their financial lives, while on the other hand, can also lead to further investigation into one’s private finances.” 

The Sandy Hook shooting was a national tragedy in Newton, Connecticut, in 2012, leaving 28 citizens dead and two injured from gun wounds, placing it as one of the most deadly shootings in US history. 

Following the tragedy, Alex Jones spread malicious rumors that the shooting was a planned manipulation to take away citizens’ right to arms. 

He claimed that the victims’ families were also at fault by arguing that they were also a part of the government’s plan to take away citizens’ guns, fueling Jones’ followers to send death threats and letters of hate to the victims’ families. 

This claim led to a decade of harassment of the victims’ families, forcing them to move their residency numerous times. 

Eventually, in 2018, they filed a lawsuit against Mr. Jones for civil harassment and defamation. 

The court finalized an amount barely south of 1.5 billion dollars: 473 million for punitive damages and 965 million in compensatory damages. 

David Shin, an avid follower of the news, said, “It's unbelievable that someone would do such a thing. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering the families had to go through because of the false information.”

Though, as of now, it may seem Mr. Jones is evading the court’s requirements, many experts claim that he will eventually have to pay the amount in full. 

A concerned citizen, Eddie Chu, said, “It's a matter of time until this matter comes to settle. Mr. Jones may think he is out of his responsibilities, but this file for bankruptcy may lead to his further downfall. Only time will tell.”