Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones cannot use his personal bankruptcy to escape paying at least $1.1 billion in defamation damages stemming from his repeated lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones cannot use his personal bankruptcy to escape paying at least $1.1 billion in defamation damages stemming from his repeated lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre, a U.S. bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday.

  • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
    2346·
    1 year ago

    They say this, yet he’s still making and spending to the tune of 100k per month and the courts aren’t doing anything about it. Rich people don’t get to go broke like the rest of us, he’s gonna keep living in a nice house and making millions and get away with not paying anyone, and the courts won’t do shit

    • fiat_lux@kbin.social
      952·
      1 year ago

      This is part of due process in doing something about it. Unfortunately it’s a lot faster to commit crimes and get “creative” with moving money in not-quite-crimes-but-still-bullshit than it is to weigh up their legality and enforce appropriate penalties.

      When a legal system relies heavily on precedent as guidance and technicalities can destroy a decision, and fixing that might take decades and destroy lives, you have to make sure it’s good. Especially when this many people are watching.

      Unfortunately you’re very right that the slow speeds to ensure precision are easily and visibly exploited by scumlickers like Jones.

    • DogMuffins@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      32·
      1 year ago

      I can see why you would think this, but this is a very unusual case. Particularly so given the decision in this article.

      You’re dead right in that rich people don’t go broke like the rest of us - because they have accountants and lawyers set up complex business structures so if something falls over they can just walk away (or drive away in their nice car to their nice house).

      This article is pretty much saying that all that usual dance isn’t going to work in this case - he still has to pay $1.1b.

      Also, there’s no law that prevents him from going on making money. That may not feel “right” or just but that dynamic is the same even for poor people. That said, at 100k per month it would take him 916 years to pay $1.1b soo… he might curtail his luxurious lifestyle, maybe not.