Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones objected to a document outlining how creditors want him to resolve his bankruptcy, arguing that it’s misleading and doesn’t provide adequate information.
The document, known as a disclosure statement, has “inaccurate and misleading” statements about alleged mismanagement of Jones’ estate, potential creditor recoveries, and treatment of damages owed to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, Jones said in a Tuesday court filing. Jones asked a judge not to approve the disclosure statement, which serves to inform creditors before they cast votes for or against a bankruptcy plan, until his suggested changes are made.
Jones and his creditors have put forth dueling proposals for how the InfoWars host should restructure his debts in bankruptcy, which he filed after he was ordered to pay $1 billion to Sandy Hook victims’ families he defamed.
Jones would pay Sandy Hook families at least $55 million over 10 years under his plan. Another plan, proposed by the families and a court-appointed creditor committee, would see Jones either pay creditors at least $85 million over 10 years or liquidate his assets.
But the disclosure statement outlining the creditors’ plan, which would be sent to creditors before they vote on the proposal, includes numerous inaccuracies, Jones said in the Tuesday filing in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Judge Christopher Lopez will consider approving the disclosure statement at a hearing on Jan. 24.
Jones objected to their statement that his “campaign of defamation and lies spanned many years and resulted in pervasive harassment and profound damage to the Sandy Hook Families.” Jones said a disclaimer needs to be added that he “disagrees with the characterizations of his actions and litigation history.”
Sandy Hook families testified at trial that Jones’ lies about them deepened their trauma and forced them to flee harassment by his followers.
Jones also said it is “baseless and inaccurate” for the creditor group to assert that its proposed plan wouldn’t hinder the ability of Free Speech Systems LLC, Jones’ company, to restructure itself. Free Speech, the parent of InfoWars, would be substantially affected by the creditors’ proposal, he said in the objection.
Under the creditors’ plan, Jones said he “would receive no relief whatsoever, no reorganization, just a continuing onslaught of litigation and collection efforts, while creditors attempt to seize every asset he ever owned (and many he did not) and sue all of his friends and family, with no regard as to whether any recovery could outweigh the cost of pursuit.”
Jones also disputed the ownership of certain assets listed in the filings. Creditors said that a 2022 settlement trust owns InfoWars.com intellectual property. But “after further investigation, it was determined that this intellectual property is owned by” Free Speech Systems, Jones said. Therefore, the property needs to be removed from a list of Jones’ assets, he said in the filing.
He also disputed an estimate of general unsecured claims in the bankruptcy at about $2 billion.
“It is unknown where this total comes from and the Debtor does not believe it to be accurate,” Jones said.
Jones is represented by Crowe & Dunlevy PC and Jordan & Ortiz PC.
The official creditor group is represented by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.
The case is Alexander E. Jones, Bankr. S.D. Tex., No. 22-33553, 1/16/24.