Quick Facts: Infowars
| Current Owner | The Onion / Global Tetrahedron LLC (Jeff Lawson) — acquired April 20, 2026 |
| Original Founder | Alex Jones (via Free Speech Systems LLC) |
| How Transferred | Bankruptcy sale via Free Speech Systems LLC Chapter 11 |
| Founded | 1999 (Austin, Texas) |
| Type | Conservative / conspiracy theory media — radio, web, podcast |
| Ownership Type | Private |
| Publicly Traded | No |
Who Owns Infowars?
As of April 20, 2026, Infowars is owned by The Onion — the satirical news publication controlled by Jeff Lawson’s Global Tetrahedron LLC. Infowars was acquired out of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of its operating company, Free Speech Systems LLC, following years of legal proceedings related to Alex Jones’s Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits. Alex Jones founded Infowars in 1999 in Austin, Texas, building it into one of the most influential and controversial right-wing conspiracy theory media platforms in the world. After courts awarded approximately $1.5 billion in damages to Sandy Hook families — damages Jones was unable to pay — Free Speech Systems filed for bankruptcy in 2022. The subsequent legal and bankruptcy process culminated in The Onion’s acquisition of Infowars assets in April 2026.
The Path from Alex Jones to The Onion
Alex Jones built Infowars over more than two decades into a multi-platform media empire encompassing a website, syndicated radio show, YouTube channel (later deplatformed), podcast, and supplements business under his company Free Speech Systems LLC. Jones became notorious for promoting conspiracy theories — most infamously claiming that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was staged, causing years of harassment to victims’ families. Multiple civil lawsuits resulted in enormous defamation damages verdicts totaling approximately $1.5 billion. Facing bankruptcy, Free Speech Systems filed Chapter 11. During the bankruptcy process, multiple parties bid on the Infowars assets. The winning bidder was The Onion — the decades-old satirical publication owned by Jeff Lawson — which acquired the Infowars brand and media assets in a sale finalized on April 20, 2026, generating widespread media coverage for the extraordinary irony of the transaction.
Key Ownership Highlights
- Infowars is currently owned by The Onion (Jeff Lawson / Global Tetrahedron LLC), which acquired it out of bankruptcy on April 20, 2026.
- Alex Jones founded Infowars in 1999 in Austin, Texas via Free Speech Systems LLC.
- Sandy Hook defamation lawsuits resulted in approximately $1.5 billion in damage awards against Jones, leading to Free Speech Systems’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 2022.
- The Onion won the Infowars bankruptcy auction, acquiring the brand and media assets in April 2026 — an event widely described as one of the most surreal moments in American media history.
- Both The Onion and the acquired Infowars are privately held and not listed on any stock exchange.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Infowars now?
As of April 20, 2026, Infowars is owned by The Onion (through Jeff Lawson’s Global Tetrahedron LLC), which acquired the media assets out of bankruptcy from Free Speech Systems LLC.
Who founded Infowars?
Alex Jones founded Infowars in 1999 in Austin, Texas through his company Free Speech Systems LLC. He operated it as a right-wing conspiracy theory media platform for over two decades.
Why did Infowars go bankrupt?
Infowars’ operating company, Free Speech Systems LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022 after Alex Jones was ordered to pay approximately $1.5 billion in defamation damages to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, whom Jones had falsely claimed were “crisis actors” involved in a staged event.
Why did The Onion buy Infowars?
The Onion, a satirical publication owned by tech entrepreneur Jeff Lawson, acquired Infowars’ assets through the bankruptcy process in April 2026. The acquisition was one of the most widely covered media events of 2026, with observers noting the profound irony of America’s most famous satire outlet acquiring one of its most notorious conspiracy theory platforms.
