Latest news with #SandyHookElementarySchool
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alex Jones accused of trying to shield assets as Sandy Hook families seek payment on $1B judgment
The trustee overseeing Infowars host Alex Jones' personal bankruptcy case is accusing the far-right conspiracy theorist of trying to shield more than $5 million from creditors, including relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. Three new lawsuits filed by the trustee on Friday alleging fraudulent asset transfers are the latest developments in Jones' long-running bankruptcy case, which has been pending in federal court in Houston for more than two years. In financial statements filed in bankruptcy court last year, Jones listed his net worth at $8.4 million. The Sandy Hook families won nearly $1.5 billion in judgments in 2022 in lawsuits filed in Connecticut and Texas accusing Jones of defamation and emotional distress for saying the school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was a hoax. Victims' relatives testified in court about being terrorized by Jones' supporters. Attempts to liquidate Jones' Infowars broadcasting and product-selling platforms and give the proceeds to the families and other creditors have been hindered by a failed auction and legal wrangling. Jones, meanwhile, continues to appeal the Sandy Hook judgments. Here's what to know about the status of Jones' bankruptcy case: Trustee sues Jones alleging improper money and property transfers The trustee, Christopher Murray, alleges that Jones tried to shield the money through a complex series of money and property transfers among family members, various trusts and limited liability companies. Other named defendants include Jones' wife, Erika; his father, David Jones; and companies and trusts. Murray alleges that a trust run by Jones and his father fraudulently transferred nearly $1.5 million to various other Jones-associated entities in the months leading up to the bankruptcy. Jones is also accused of fraudulently transferring $1.5 million to his wife, more than $800,000 in cash and property to his father and trying to hide ownership of two condominiums in Austin, Texas, with a combined value of more than $1.5 million. Murray is trying to recoup that money and property for creditors. Jones' bankruptcy lawyers did not return email messages seeking comment. In an email to The Associated Press, Erika Wulff Jones called the lawsuits 'pure harassment' and said she already had sat for a deposition. She said 'the accounting has been done,' but did not elaborate. A lawyer for David Jones did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Jones railed against the new allegations on his show on Saturday. He has repeatedly said Democratic activists and the Justice Department are behind the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings, and claimed they were now 'trying to get' to him by suing his father, who he says is seriously ill. The fraud allegations are similar to those in a lawsuit in a Texas state court filed by Sandy Hook families. Jones also denied those claims. That lawsuit was put on hold because of the bankruptcy. Sandy Hook families still haven't received money from Jones Jones says the fact that the Sandy Hook families haven't received any money from him yet should be expected because he is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments. Infowars' assets continue to be tied up in the legal processes. Those assets, and some of Jones' personal assets, are being held by Murray for eventual distribution to creditors. An effort to sell Infowars' assets was derailed when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected the results of a November auction in which The Onion satirical news outlet was named the winning bidder over only one other proposal by a company affiliated with Jones. The Onion had planned to turn the Infowars platforms into parody sites. Lopez had several concerns about the auction, including a lack of transparency and murky details about the actual value of The Onion's bid and whether it was better than the other offer. The judge rejected holding another auction and said the families could pursue liquidation of Jones' assets in the state courts where the defamation judgments were awarded. In a financial statement last year, Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, listed $18 million in assets, including merchandise and studio equipment. What's next Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families said they will soon move their effort to sell Infowars' assets to a Texas state court in Austin, where they expect a receiver to be appointed to take possession of the platform's possessions and sell them to provide money to creditors. A court schedule has not been set. 'The families we represent are as determined as ever to enforce the jury's verdict, and he will never outrun it,' Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said Tuesday. Jones' appeals, meanwhile, continue in the courts. He said he plans to appeal the Connecticut lawsuit judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, after the Connecticut Supreme Court declined to hear his challenge. A lower state appeals court upheld all but $150 million of the original $1.4 billion judgment. The $49 million judgment in the Texas lawsuit is before a state appeals court. He said in 2022 that he believes the shootings were '100% real.' Because Infowars' assets are still tied up in the courts, Jones has been allowed to continue broadcasting his shows and hawking merchandise from Infowars' Austin studio.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Alex Jones accused of trying to shield assets as Sandy Hook families seek payment on $1B judgment
The trustee overseeing Infowars host Alex Jones' personal bankruptcy case is accusing the far-right conspiracy theorist of trying to shield more than $5 million from creditors, including relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. Three new lawsuits filed by the trustee on Friday alleging fraudulent asset transfers are the latest developments in Jones' long-running bankruptcy case, which has been pending in federal court in Houston for more than two years. In financial statements filed in bankruptcy court last year, Jones listed his net worth at $8.4 million. The Sandy Hook families won nearly $1.5 billion in judgments in 2022 in lawsuits filed in Connecticut and Texas accusing Jones of defamation and emotional distress for saying the school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was a hoax. Victims' relatives testified in court about being terrorized by Jones' supporters. Attempts to liquidate Jones' Infowars broadcasting and product-selling platforms and give the proceeds to the families and other creditors have been hindered by a failed auction and legal wrangling. Jones, meanwhile, continues to appeal the Sandy Hook judgments. Here's what to know about the status of Jones' bankruptcy case: Trustee sues Jones alleging improper money and property transfers The trustee, Christopher Murray, alleges that Jones tried to shield the money through a complex series of money and property transfers among family members, various trusts and limited liability companies. Other named defendants include Jones' wife, Erika; his father, David Jones; and companies and trusts. Murray alleges that a trust run by Jones and his father fraudulently transferred nearly $1.5 million to various other Jones-associated entities in the months leading up to the bankruptcy. Jones is also accused of fraudulently transferring $1.5 million to his wife, more than $800,000 in cash and property to his father and trying to hide ownership of two condominiums in Austin, Texas, with a combined value of more than $1.5 million. Murray is trying to recoup that money and property for creditors. Jones' bankruptcy lawyers did not return email messages seeking comment. In an email to The Associated Press, Erika Wulff Jones called the lawsuits 'pure harassment' and said she already had sat for a deposition. She said 'the accounting has been done,' but did not elaborate. A lawyer for David Jones did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Jones railed against the new allegations on his show on Saturday. He has repeatedly said Democratic activists and the Justice Department are behind the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings, and claimed they were now 'trying to get' to him by suing his father, who he says is seriously ill. The fraud allegations are similar to those in a lawsuit in a Texas state court filed by Sandy Hook families. Jones also denied those claims. That lawsuit was put on hold because of the bankruptcy. Sandy Hook families still haven't received money from Jones Jones says the fact that the Sandy Hook families haven't received any money from him yet should be expected because he is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments. Infowars' assets continue to be tied up in the legal processes. Those assets, and some of Jones' personal assets, are being held by Murray for eventual distribution to creditors. An effort to sell Infowars' assets was derailed when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected the results of a November auction in which The Onion satirical news outlet was named the winning bidder over only one other proposal by a company affiliated with Jones. The Onion had planned to turn the Infowars platforms into parody sites. Lopez had several concerns about the auction, including a lack of transparency and murky details about the actual value of The Onion's bid and whether it was better than the other offer. The judge rejected holding another auction and said the families could pursue liquidation of Jones' assets in the state courts where the defamation judgments were awarded. In a financial statement last year, Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, listed $18 million in assets, including merchandise and studio equipment. What's next Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families said they will soon move their effort to sell Infowars' assets to a Texas state court in Austin, where they expect a receiver to be appointed to take possession of the platform's possessions and sell them to provide money to creditors. A court schedule has not been set. 'The families we represent are as determined as ever to enforce the jury's verdict, and he will never outrun it,' Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said Tuesday. Jones' appeals, meanwhile, continue in the courts. He said he plans to appeal the Connecticut lawsuit judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, after the Connecticut Supreme Court declined to hear his challenge. A lower state appeals court upheld all but $150 million of the original $1.4 billion judgment. The $49 million judgment in the Texas lawsuit is before a state appeals court. He said in 2022 that he believes the shootings were '100% real.'
Hamilton Spectator
4 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Alex Jones accused of trying to shield assets as Sandy Hook families seek payment on $1B judgment
The trustee overseeing Infowars host Alex Jones' personal bankruptcy case is accusing the far-right conspiracy theorist of trying to shield more than $5 million from creditors, including relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. Three new lawsuits filed by the trustee on Friday alleging fraudulent asset transfers are the latest developments in Jones' long-running bankruptcy case , which has been pending in federal court in Houston for more than two years. In financial statements filed in bankruptcy court last year, Jones listed his net worth at $8.4 million. The Sandy Hook families won nearly $1.5 billion in judgments in 2022 in lawsuits filed in Connecticut and Texas accusing Jones of defamation and emotional distress for saying the school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was a hoax. Victims' relatives testified in court about being terrorized by Jones' supporters . Attempts to liquidate Jones' Infowars broadcasting and product-selling platforms and give the proceeds to the families and other creditors have been hindered by a failed auction and legal wrangling. Jones, meanwhile, continues to appeal the Sandy Hook judgments. Here's what to know about the status of Jones' bankruptcy case: Trustee sues Jones alleging improper money and property transfers The trustee, Christopher Murray, alleges that Jones tried to shield the money through a complex series of money and property transfers among family members, various trusts and limited liability companies. Other named defendants include Jones' wife, Erika; his father, David Jones; and companies and trusts. Murray alleges that a trust run by Jones and his father fraudulently transferred nearly $1.5 million to various other Jones-associated entities in the months leading up to the bankruptcy. Jones is also accused of fraudulently transferring $1.5 million to his wife, more than $800,000 in cash and property to his father and trying to hide ownership of two condominiums in Austin, Texas, with a combined value of more than $1.5 million. Murray is trying to recoup that money and property for creditors. Jones' bankruptcy lawyers did not return email messages seeking comment. In an email to The Associated Press, Erika Wulff Jones called the lawsuits 'pure harassment' and said she already had sat for a deposition. She said 'the accounting has been done,' but did not elaborate. A lawyer for David Jones did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Jones railed against the new allegations on his show on Saturday. He has repeatedly said Democratic activists and the Justice Department are behind the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings, and claimed they were now 'trying to get' to him by suing his father, who he says is seriously ill. The fraud allegations are similar to those in a lawsuit in a Texas state court filed by Sandy Hook families. Jones also denied those claims. That lawsuit was put on hold because of the bankruptcy. Sandy Hook families still haven't received money from Jones Jones says the fact that the Sandy Hook families haven't received any money from him yet should be expected because he is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments. Infowars' assets continue to be tied up in the legal processes. Those assets, and some of Jones' personal assets, are being held by Murray for eventual distribution to creditors. An effort to sell Infowars' assets was derailed when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected the results of a November auction in which The Onion satirical news outlet was named the winning bidder over only one other proposal by a company affiliated with Jones. The Onion had planned to turn the Infowars platforms into parody sites . Lopez had several concerns about the auction, including a lack of transparency and murky details about the actual value of The Onion's bid and whether it was better than the other offer. The judge rejected holding another auction and said the families could pursue liquidation of Jones' assets in the state courts where the defamation judgments were awarded. In a financial statement last year, Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, listed $18 million in assets, including merchandise and studio equipment. What's next Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families said they will soon move their effort to sell Infowars' assets to a Texas state court in Austin, where they expect a receiver to be appointed to take possession of the platform's possessions and sell them to provide money to creditors. A court schedule has not been set. 'The families we represent are as determined as ever to enforce the jury's verdict, and he will never outrun it,' Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said Tuesday. Jones' appeals, meanwhile, continue in the courts. He said he plans to appeal the Connecticut lawsuit judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, after the Connecticut Supreme Court declined to hear his challenge . A lower state appeals court upheld all but $150 million of the original $1.4 billion judgment. The $49 million judgment in the Texas lawsuit is before a state appeals court. He said in 2022 that he believes the shootings were '100% real.' Because Infowars' assets are still tied up in the courts, Jones has been allowed to continue broadcasting his shows and hawking merchandise from Infowars' Austin studio. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Alex Jones accused of trying to shield assets as Sandy Hook families seek payment on $1B judgment
The trustee overseeing Infowars host Alex Jones' personal bankruptcy case is accusing the far-right conspiracy theorist of trying to shield more than $5 million from creditors, including relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut. Three new lawsuits filed by the trustee on Friday alleging fraudulent asset transfers are the latest developments in Jones' long-running bankruptcy case, which has been pending in federal court in Houston for more than two years. In financial statements filed in bankruptcy court last year, Jones listed his net worth at $8.4 million. The Sandy Hook families won nearly $1.5 billion in judgments in 2022 in lawsuits filed in Connecticut and Texas accusing Jones of defamation and emotional distress for saying the school shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was a hoax. Victims' relatives testified in court about being terrorized by Jones' supporters. Attempts to liquidate Jones' Infowars broadcasting and product-selling platforms and give the proceeds to the families and other creditors have been hindered by a failed auction and legal wrangling. Jones, meanwhile, continues to appeal the Sandy Hook judgments. Here's what to know about the status of Jones' bankruptcy case: Trustee sues Jones alleging improper money and property transfers The trustee, Christopher Murray, alleges that Jones tried to shield the money through a complex series of money and property transfers among family members, various trusts and limited liability companies. Other named defendants include Jones' wife, Erika; his father, David Jones; and companies and trusts. Murray alleges that a trust run by Jones and his father fraudulently transferred nearly $1.5 million to various other Jones-associated entities in the months leading up to the bankruptcy. Jones is also accused of fraudulently transferring $1.5 million to his wife, more than $800,000 in cash and property to his father and trying to hide ownership of two condominiums in Austin, Texas, with a combined value of more than $1.5 million. Murray is trying to recoup that money and property for creditors. Jones' bankruptcy lawyers did not return email messages seeking comment. In an email to The Associated Press, Erika Wulff Jones called the lawsuits 'pure harassment' and said she already had sat for a deposition. She said 'the accounting has been done,' but did not elaborate. A lawyer for David Jones did not immediately return an email seeking comment. Jones railed against the new allegations on his show on Saturday. He has repeatedly said Democratic activists and the Justice Department are behind the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits and bankruptcy proceedings, and claimed they were now 'trying to get' to him by suing his father, who he says is seriously ill. The fraud allegations are similar to those in a lawsuit in a Texas state court filed by Sandy Hook families. Jones also denied those claims. That lawsuit was put on hold because of the bankruptcy. Sandy Hook families still haven't received money from Jones Jones says the fact that the Sandy Hook families haven't received any money from him yet should be expected because he is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments. Infowars' assets continue to be tied up in the legal processes. Those assets, and some of Jones' personal assets, are being held by Murray for eventual distribution to creditors. An effort to sell Infowars' assets was derailed when U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez rejected the results of a November auction in which The Onion satirical news outlet was named the winning bidder over only one other proposal by a company affiliated with Jones. The Onion had planned to turn the Infowars platforms into parody sites. Lopez had several concerns about the auction, including a lack of transparency and murky details about the actual value of The Onion's bid and whether it was better than the other offer. The judge rejected holding another auction and said the families could pursue liquidation of Jones' assets in the state courts where the defamation judgments were awarded. In a financial statement last year, Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, listed $18 million in assets, including merchandise and studio equipment. What's next Lawyers for the Sandy Hook families said they will soon move their effort to sell Infowars' assets to a Texas state court in Austin, where they expect a receiver to be appointed to take possession of the platform's possessions and sell them to provide money to creditors. A court schedule has not been set. 'The families we represent are as determined as ever to enforce the jury's verdict, and he will never outrun it,' Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said Tuesday. Jones' appeals, meanwhile, continue in the courts. He said he plans to appeal the Connecticut lawsuit judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, after the Connecticut Supreme Court declined to hear his challenge. A lower state appeals court upheld all but $150 million of the original $1.4 billion judgment. The $49 million judgment in the Texas lawsuit is before a state appeals court. He said in 2022 that he believes the shootings were '100% real.' Because Infowars' assets are still tied up in the courts, Jones has been allowed to continue broadcasting his shows and hawking merchandise from Infowars' Austin studio.
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Supreme Court won't hear challenge to Maryland assault weapons ban
WASHINGTON — A split Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a challenge to a state ban on assault weapons, a term referring to semiautomatic rifles that are popular among gun owners and that have also been used in mass shootings. The majority did not explain its reasoning in turning down the case over weapons like the AR-15, as is typical. But three conservative justices on the nine-member court publicly noted their disagreement, and a fourth said he is skeptical that such bans are constitutional. Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have taken the case, and Justice Clarence Thomas wrote separately to say the law likely runs afoul of the Second Amendment. 'I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America,' Thomas wrote. 'That question is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR–15 owners throughout the country.' Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with the decision to pass on the case now but indicated that he is skeptical such bans are constitutional and that he expects the court will address the issue 'in the next term or two.' The Maryland law was passed after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that killed 20 children and six adults. The shooter was armed with an AR-15, one of the firearms commonly referred to as an assault weapon. Several states have similar measures, and congressional Democrats have also supported the concept. The challengers had argued that people have a constitutional right to own the firearms like the AR-15, which most gun owners use legally. The case comes nearly three years after the high court handed down a landmark ruling that expanded Second Amendment rights and spawned challenges to firearm laws around the country. Ten states and the District of Columbia have similar laws, covering major cities like New York and Los Angeles. Congress allowed a national assault weapons ban to expire in 2004. Attorneys for Maryland contend the guns aren't protected by the Constitution because they're similar to military-grade weapons. The law bans dozens of firearms — including the AR-15, the AK-47 and the Barrett .50-caliber sniper rifle — and puts a 10-round limit on gun magazines. The high court also rebuffed a bid to overturn state bans on high-capacity gun magazines in a separate case out of Rhode Island on Monday. Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch said they would have heard the case. More than a dozen states have similar laws limiting the amount of ammunition a magazine can hold. Thomas and Kavanaugh have previously expressed skepticism about assault weapon bans. As an appeals court judge in 2011, Kavanaugh wrote a dissent saying that a similar measure in Washington, D.C., was unconstitutional. Thomas, meanwhile, dissented in 2015 when the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to a municipal ban on AR-15-style weapons, writing that the 'overwhelming majority' of people who owned the weapons used them for lawful purposes like self-defense. The high court in 2022 handed down a ruling that expanded gun rights and told lower-court judges they should no longer consider factors like public safety in deciding whether firearm laws are constitutional. Instead, they should focus on whether a law fits into the nation's historic tradition of gun ownership, the court said. That led to a flurry of challenges to gun laws around the country, multiple restrictions struck down, and confusion among lower-court judges over what gun laws can stay on the books. Since then, the Supreme Court has overturned a ban on rapid-fire gun accessories called bump stocks but upheld a law barring people under domestic-violence restraining orders from having guns and regulations on nearly untraceable ghost guns.
