The families of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012 have been granted the right to investigate the financial records of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Jones, who is known for his controversial theories, has claimed in the past that the shooting was a hoax and that the families of the victims are actors.
The Investigation Begins
The decision was made by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston, Texas, who ruled that the families are entitled to examine Jones' financial records to determine if he profited from the promotion of his theories about the shooting. The families believe that Jones has used his platform to spread falsehoods about the shooting and to profit from his views, which they say has led to harassment and threats against them.
The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by the families against Jones, who they say has caused them emotional distress and financial harm. The families are seeking damages from Jones for his role in promoting the theory that the shooting was a hoax.
Jones, who is the founder of the website InfoWars, has been a controversial figure for years. He has promoted a number of conspiracy theories over the years, including the belief that the government is using chemicals to control the population and that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job.
The families of the Sandy Hook victims have been particularly vocal in their opposition to Jones' theories about the shooting. They say that his claims have led to harassment and threats against them, and that they have had to deal with a great deal of pain and suffering as a result.
Jones has denied the allegations made by the families, saying that he is entitled to his opinion and that he has a right to free speech. He has also claimed that the lawsuit is an attempt to silence him and to suppress his views. The families, however, say that they are not trying to silence Jones, but are simply seeking justice for the harm that he has caused them. They say that they are entitled to know whether Jones has profited from his theories, and whether he has used their tragedy for his own gain.
The decision to allow the families to investigate Jones' financial records is a victory for them, and a blow to Jones and his supporters. It remains to be seen what the investigation will reveal, but the families say that they are determined to find out the truth.
Financial Troubles
Vickie Driver, Alex Jones’s attorney, told Judge Lopez that Jones is having difficulty providing complete financial reports but provided a list of trusts that hold unknown assets. “We are trying to locate every single trust and figure out what every single trust owns, and we are starting to get to what I would consider the final layers of the onion,” Driver stated in court.
Jones publicly filed for bankruptcy in December, claiming that he could only afford less than 1% of the amount owed to the Sandy Hook families. Judge Lopez will make his decision in March about whether Jones will face a third Sandy Hook defamation trial. The Sandy Hook Families will also be investigating any efforts Jones makes to start new businesses outside of the Free Speech Systems companies, which also filed for bankruptcy last July.
The families are claiming that Jones is using bankruptcy as a means to avoid paying the full amount of the defamation while simultaneously trying to collect income under the radar.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.