Alex Jones has proposed paying the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre at least $55 million over 10 years, according to Jones’ latest bankruptcy filing, a small portion of the combined $1.4 billion that courts have ordered the InfoWars host to pay to the families for spreading baseless conspiracy theories about the shooting.
Jones proposed a settlement plan that would pay the families at least $5.5 million annually over 10 years, according to a court filing, though the plan still requires court approval.
Family members who settle could also receive all of the disposable income from Free Speech Systems—InfoWars’ parent company—in addition to half of Jones’ income for five years and a quarter of his income over an additional five years, according to the filing.
The families proposed in November that Jones pay his creditors at least $85 million over the next 10 years or liquidate his estate, according to a separate filing.
Avi Moshenberg, a bankruptcy attorney representing a group of the families, said they are “carefully examining” Jones’ plan, according to Bloomberg.
Between $1 million and $10 million. That’s how much Jones estimated his assets to be worth in his bankruptcy filing. Forbes identified five homes linked to Jones collectively worth $7.5 million last year, though he reportedly transferred ownership of one of these properties—valued at $3.5 million—to his wife Erika Wulff.
Families of victims from the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre in Newton, Connecticut, successfully sued Jones for defamation in Connecticut and Texas last year, after Jones used his show to spread false conspiracy theories that the shooting was staged and the victims and their families were actors. Jones filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last year, shortly after his far-right media company, Free Speech Systems, filed for bankruptcy with $14.3 million in assets, pausing any payments to the families. Free Speech Systems proposed paying creditors an estimated $4 million annually last month, according to the Associated Press. In their proposal for an $85 million payout, the families criticized Jones for his “extravagant lifestyle,” failing to preserve the value of his holdings, refusing to sell assets and failing to produce some financial documents. A Texas judge ruled in October that Jones must still pay the families $1.1 billion despite filing for bankruptcy. The court had not decided whether bankruptcy would cut the remaining $300 million, according to Bloomberg.
Texas Judge Rules Alex Jones Can’t Use Bankruptcy To Get Out Of $1.1 Billion He Owes To Sandy Hook Victim Families (Forbes)
