In a move that sounds like its own satire, The Onion seeks to purchase Infowars out of Alex Jones’ bankruptcy.

(SeaPRwire) –   The satirical publication The Onion has returned with a fresh strategy to assume control of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s Infowars platforms. This move comes as his company is being liquidated to satisfy defamation judgments exceeding $1 billion owed to families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.

A proposal filed Monday with a Texas state judge would grant The Onion an exclusive, temporary license to the intellectual property of Infowars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems. This would permit the outlet to publish its own material on the Infowars website and associated social media accounts.

According to The Onion’s chief executive, Ben Collins, the arrangement could be finalized around April 30 if approved by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austin. Collins stated that The Onion has already recruited staff, including comedian Tim Heidecker of the Tim and Eric duo, to operate Infowars as a parody site.

“We’ll build this into a bigger comedy network,” Collins remarked in a Monday phone interview, noting that profits from the new venture would be directed to the Sandy Hook families.

“A significant factor for us is the current mode of news consumption, where individuals see someone with no clue what they’re discussing staring into a camera, inventing conspiracy theories or promoting dangerous health advice,” he explained. “We plan to develop characters and narratives centered on that very concept.”

Following the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting that killed 20 children and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, Jones falsely claimed it was a hoax perpetrated by “crisis actors” to advance gun control. Numerous victims’ relatives and an FBI agent who responded sued Jones and his company for defamation and emotional distress.

On his Monday program, Jones pledged to challenge the licensing proposal in court but conceded he and his team might be evicted from their studio by month’s end. He said he would continue broadcasting from a new studio he is preparing, with shows airing on his personal X account, other new social media platforms, websites, and dozens of radio stations. He has also established new websites for his merchandise, such as dietary supplements and clothing, which generate millions annually.

“I’m going to continue the exact same show,” Jones said. “It’ll just be called the ‘Alex Jones Show.’ So, it’s the same satellite, same system. It’s a different news site and news studio. So I’m not going anywhere.”

The proposed license with The Onion would last for six months and could be renewed for another six months while a court-appointed receiver works to sell the assets of Austin-based Free Speech Systems, with proceeds going to the Sandy Hook families. The receiver supports the plan, which requires The Onion to pay $81,000 monthly to cover rent, utilities, and other costs for the Infowars studio building.

During a 2022 defamation trial in Connecticut, relatives of the victims testified that individuals they identified as Jones’s followers harassed them with death and rape threats, in-person intimidation, and abusive online comments due to the hoax claims. Jones contended there was no evidence connecting him to these actions.

A jury and judge awarded the families and the FBI agent over $1.4 billion in damages. In a separate Texas case, the parents of a child killed at Sandy Hook were awarded approximately $50 million. Jones appealed both rulings; he lost his challenge to the Connecticut judgment, while his appeal of the Texas award remains ongoing.

Jones filed for bankruptcy in late 2022. As part of those proceedings, an auction was conducted in November 2024 to liquidate Infowars’ assets, with The Onion declared the winning bidder. However, the bankruptcy judge later invalidated the auction results, citing issues with the process and The Onion’s bid.

The effort to sell Infowars’ assets then shifted to a Texas state court, where Judge Guerra Gamble appointed a receiver to liquidate Jones’s company. Jones is appealing that decision, which has temporarily halted the liquidation process.

An attorney representing the Sandy Hook families who sued Jones in Connecticut expressed their support for The Onion’s plan.