Challenges Faced by Alex Jones: Obstacles and Turning Points

Life is full of challenges, and Alex Jones faced many. Discover key struggles and how they were overcome.

Alex Jones is an American far-right radio show host and conspiracy theorist known for The Alex Jones Show, InfoWars, and Banned.Video. These platforms disseminate conspiracy theories and fake news. His show was previously syndicated across the US via Genesis Communications Network. He is based in Austin, Texas.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2008: Audioclip of Jones berating then wife

In 2008, Alex Jones was recorded in an audioclip berating his then wife. The clip was later obtained by the Daily Mail in 2023, leading to further allegations of racism against Jones.

March 2015: Divorce from Kelly Nichols

In March 2015, Alex Jones and Kelly Jones (née Nichols) finalized their divorce.

2017: Diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder

During Alex Jones's 2017 custody trial, Dr. Alissa Sherry testified that he had been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.

2017: Custody Dispute

In 2017, Kelly Jones sought sole or joint custody of their children, citing Alex Jones's behavior and concerns about his stability. She alleged he was engaged in felonious behavior and threatened a member of Congress. Alex Jones's attorney claimed he was "playing a character," describing him as a "performance artist."

April 2, 2018: Marcel Fontaine sues Jones

On April 2, 2018, Marcel Fontaine sued Alex Jones after InfoWars falsely identified him as the gunman in a mass shooting and posted his photos on the InfoWars website. Fontaine's lawsuit was the first one against Jones involving defamatory statements about mass school shootings.

June 26, 2018: Defamation lawsuit filed in Connecticut Superior Court

On June 26, 2018, seven families of victims and an FBI agent filed a defamation lawsuit in Connecticut Superior Court against Alex Jones, Infowars, Free Speech Systems, Infowars Health, and others for spreading false claims, resulting in harassment, stalking, and threats to the plaintiffs.

February 2019: Plaintiffs win court rulings requiring Jones to testify

In February 2019, the plaintiffs in the defamation case against Alex Jones won a series of court rulings that required Jones to testify under oath.

March 2019: Jones deposition

In March 2019, during a deposition, Alex Jones acknowledged the Sandy Hook deaths were real, claiming he had "almost like a form of psychosis" where he "basically thought everything was staged".

2019: Alleged Spying on Erika Wulff

In 2019, Alex Jones allegedly spied on Erika Wulff. He instructed his security employee to monitor Wulff, expressing concerns about her fidelity. This was later reported by Rolling Stone in September 2022 and corroborated by the SPLC in February 2023.

April 2020: Custody Motion Denied

In April 2020, a state district judge denied Kelly Jones' emergency motion to secure custody of their daughters for two weeks after Alex Jones led a rally at the Capitol, where he called COVID-19 a hoax.

April 5, 2021: Supreme Court declines to hear Jones's appeal

On April 5, 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear an appeal by Alex Jones against a court sanction in the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuit.

November 15, 2021: Jones found liable by default for defamation

On November 15, 2021, the judge found Alex Jones liable by default for defamation due to "willful non-compliance" in failing to turn over documents to the families in accordance with court orders.

March 29, 2022: Jones offers settlement which is rejected

On March 29, 2022, Alex Jones offered a settlement of $120,000 to each of the thirteen people involved in the Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits, but the offer was quickly rejected.

April 6, 2022: Lawsuit filed accusing Jones of hiding assets

On April 6, 2022, some of the Sandy Hook families filed a lawsuit in Austin, Texas, accusing Alex Jones of hiding millions of dollars in assets after he began being sued for defamation. The lawsuit alleges Jones "conspired to divert his assets to shell companies owned by insiders like his parents, his children, and himself".

April 17, 2022: Companies owned by Jones file for bankruptcy

On April 17, 2022, three companies owned by Alex Jones—InfoW, Prison Planet TV, and IWHealth (Infowars Health)—filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, suspending further civil litigation claims in the Sandy Hook defamation cases.

June 2, 2022: Jones's attorneys ask to drop from the case

On June 2, 2022, Alex Jones's attorneys requested to withdraw from the case, marking the thirteenth time in four years that his attorneys had sought replacement or withdrawal. The judge ordered them to continue representing Jones until a ruling on the motion was made on June 15.

June 10, 2022: Bankruptcy protection case dismissed

On June 10, 2022, a federal judge in Texas dismissed the bankruptcy protection case for three of Alex Jones's companies after Jones and the Sandy Hook families agreed to drop the companies from the defamation lawsuits.

July 25, 2022: Jury trial begins in Texas

On July 25, 2022, the jury trial began in Texas, with the plaintiffs' attorney announcing they would seek $150 million from the jury.

July 29, 2022: Free Speech Systems files for bankruptcy

On July 29, 2022, Free Speech Systems, LLC, the parent company of InfoWars, filed for bankruptcy.

August 4, 2022: Jury orders Jones to pay compensatory damages

On August 4, 2022, the jury ordered Alex Jones to pay Heslin and Lewis $4.1 million in compensatory damages.

September 2022: Rolling Stone Story on Alleged Spying

In September 2022, a Rolling Stone story reported that Alex Jones may have spied on Erika Wulff in 2019.

October 12, 2022: Jury awards damages to Sandy Hook families

On October 12, 2022, the jury awarded $965 million to be shared by 15 plaintiffs (eight families and one first responder) in the Sandy Hook defamation case against Alex Jones. The plaintiffs testified they had been threatened and harassed for years due to Jones's falsehoods. Jones reacted live on his show, mocking the verdict and asking viewers to donate for an "appeal."

November 10, 2022: Judge awards additional punitive damages

On November 10, 2022, the judge awarded the Sandy Hook plaintiffs a further $473 million in punitive damages in the form of lawyers' fees in the case against Alex Jones, bringing the total to over $1.4 billion. The judge also issued an order preventing Jones from moving assets out of the United States.

November 22, 2022: Judge rules Jones must pay full punitive damages

On November 22, 2022, a judge ruled that Alex Jones must pay the full amount of the punitive damages, even though this amount exceeds a cap under Texas law.

December 22, 2022: Judge denies Jones's request for a new trial

On December 22, 2022, a judge denied Alex Jones's motion for a new trial in the Sandy Hook defamation case.

February 2023: SPLC Report on Alleged Spying

In February 2023, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) reported on text messages that appeared to corroborate a September 2022 Rolling Stone story reporting that Jones may have spied on Erika Wulff in 2019.

April 25, 2023: Judge orders Jones's attorney to pay

On April 25, 2023, Judge Gamble ordered Alex Jones's attorney, Andino Reynal, to pay $97,169 to Heslin and Lewis for his bad-faith attempts to delay the trial, with additional contingency fees based on potential appeals.

October 19, 2023: Judge rules Jones cannot use bankruptcy protection

On October 19, 2023, a Texas bankruptcy judge ruled that Alex Jones cannot use bankruptcy protection to avoid paying the $1.5 billion he owes to the Sandy Hook families from the Connecticut lawsuit.

November 2023: Settlement offered by Sandy Hook families

In November 2023, the Sandy Hook families offered Alex Jones a settlement where he would pay $85 million over 10 years, about 6% of what he was court-ordered to pay. This offer was filed within Jones's personal bankruptcy case.

2023: Racism Allegations

In 2023, after a 2008 audioclip of Jones berating his then wife was obtained by the Daily Mail, Kelly Jones claimed that Alex Jones was "a total racist" regarding her Jewish heritage, claiming that her genes were "flawed".

February 2024: Creditors vote in favor of liquidation plan

In February 2024, Alex Jones's general unsecured creditors (mostly Sandy Hook families) voted in favor of a Chapter 11 plan that would liquidate and redistribute his assets.

December 6, 2024: Connecticut Appellate Court reduces total Jones owed

On December 6, 2024, the Connecticut Appellate Court reduced the total Alex Jones owed to about $1.2 billion by affirming the jury's $965 million verdict but eliminating the $150 million in punitive damages.