Alex Jones’ Infowars Seeks to Shut Down the Onion’s Takeover

Alex Jones’ Infowars parent company moved to stop an effort by satirical news site The Onion to license the intellectual property of the conspiracy theorist’s right-wing media empire.

A court-appointed receiver controlling Infowars parent Free Speech Systems LLC shouldn’t be allowed to enter into a licensing agreement with an affiliate of The Onion because it would devalue the IP and destroy the platform’s reach, Free Speech said in an emergency motion Monday in the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas.

“The licensee’s intentions are clear and, remarkably, reflect its stated desire – destroy the value of the FSS assets,” the company said.

Free Speech is asking the court to halt the IP deal by pausing an order appointing the receiver.

The licensing deal comes more than three years after Jones filed for bankruptcy owing $1.3 billion in judgments to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims related to his false claims that the 2012 massacre was a hoax.

Free Speech said the receiver is ignoring better offers from third parties in a biased effort to permanently dissolve Infowars. The company asked for an immediate stay to prevent what it said is irreparable harm to the estate’s value while appeals remain pending. The request comes ahead of an April 30 court hearing in Austin.

The Onion and receiver Gregory S. Milligan of HMP Advisory Holdings LLC last week announced a move to license the Infowars IP, including trademark and associated domains, in the website’s latest attempt to take control of the platform.

The proposed deal would grant War Is Over LLC, an affiliate of The Onion owner Global Tetrahedron LLC, exclusive use of the IP for $81,000 per month over a six-month term. The deal would bring in revenue to cover operational costs and preserve the value of the assets while a broader legal stay prevents a final sale.

The receiver would maintain ownership while the Onion unit would gain editorial authority over website content. The Onion CEO Ben Collins said in a statement Tuesday that they’re confident in the process and are working with the receiver and Sandy Hook families to move forward.

“There’s been a lot of noise around this, which isn’t surprising given the history here, but our focus is on building a new platform that actually creates value, both for audiences and for the families who are still owed justice,” Collins said.

A Houston bankruptcy judge in December 2024 struck down The Onion’s bid to acquire the Infowars assets. Sandy Hook families then sought relief in state court amid lengthy delays in Jones’ personal bankruptcy.

Free Speech also challenged the underlying receiver order, saying it’s void because it violates an automatic bankruptcy stay and all of the company’s assets were vested in Jones’ personal bankruptcy estate.

Milligan was appointed receiver in two separate state court orders, one of which has been stayed by an appellate court. He’s seeking approval of the IP deal through the order that’s still in effect, while Free Speech is trying to pause the deal through the stayed receivership appeal.

Sandy Hook families, in a brief filed Monday in a separate appeal in the US District for for the Southern District of Texas, noted that Free Speech’s own bankruptcy was dismissed in June 2024, removing its protection against legal action. Any of the company’s assets that were vested with Jones’ bankruptcy estate were limited to facilitate a sale, which never happened, they said.

Attorneys for Free Speech and the families didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Free Speech Systems is represented by Broocks Law Firm PLLC, Alan Daughtry Law Firm, and Jordan & Ortiz PC. The receiver is represented by Kane Russell Coleman & Logan PC. War Is Over is represented by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. The Texas families are represented by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Lawson & Moshenberg PLLC and Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. The Connecticut families are represented by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Cain & Skarnulis PLLC and Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder PC.

The case is Free Speech Systems, LLC vs. Neil Heslin, Tex. App., 3d Dist., No. 03-25-00906-CV, motion 4/27/26.