The Onion Reaches New Agreement to License and Parody InfoWars

The satirical news outlet The Onion announced Monday it has reached a new agreement to take over InfoWars, the conspiracy-laden media platform founded by Alex Jones.

The deal could help generate revenue toward more than $1 billion in defamation judgments owed to families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, according to NPR.

Onion CEO Ben Collins said in a post on Bluesky that, with the help of the Sandy Hook families, the company has reached a long-awaited deal to take over InfoWars. Collins added that comedian Tim Heidecker, known for his work with the comedy duo Tim and Eric, has been hired as InfoWars’ creative director.

If approved by Texas District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, the pact would allow The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, to license InfoWars’ intellectual property, website and social media accounts on a temporary basis, according to The New York Times. The arrangement would transform the platform into a parody of itself rather than a source of conspiracy theories.

Under the proposal, Global Tetrahedron would pay an $81,000 monthly licensing fee for an initial six-month exclusive license to the InfoWars brand, domain and related intellectual property, according to The New York Times, which cited the agreement filed by court-appointed receiver Gregory Milligan. The deal includes an option to renew for another six months while the receiver works toward a full sale of the assets, with proceeds going toward the Sandy Hook families.

A hearing before Judge Guerra Gamble is scheduled for April 30 to consider approval of the licensing deal, according to CNN.

The development marks the latest twist in a lengthy legal saga stemming from Jones’ false claims that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. Jones filed for personal bankruptcy in 2022 after juries in Texas and Connecticut awarded nearly $1.5 billion in damages to relatives of the 20 children and six educators killed at the Newtown, Connecticut, school.

In November 2024, The Onion emerged as the winning bidder in a court-ordered bankruptcy auction for assets of InfoWars’ parent company, Free Speech Systems, with plans to turn the site into satire. A federal bankruptcy judge later rejected that sale, citing flaws in the auction process, according to NPR.

The case shifted to Texas state court, where a receiver was appointed to manage and liquidate Free Speech Systems’ assets which are not themselves in bankruptcy to satisfy the judgments. That procedural change paved the way for the new licensing proposal.

The Onion, long known for its satirical headlines, has said it intends to operate InfoWars as a send-up of conspiracy media rather than a platform for genuine misinformation. Collins has emphasized that the Sandy Hook families have received no payment from Jones despite the judgments.

InfoWars, based in Austin, Texas, has operated since 1999 and built a large audience by promoting Jones’ often outlandish claims about global events. Jones has vowed to fight the proposal in court and has said he plans to continue his program on other platforms.

The proposed takeover comes as Jones continues to face financial pressure from the massive judgments. Collins has said The Onion plans to share proceeds from related merchandise sales with the Sandy Hook families, according to Politico.

Collins told reporters the company has not backed down from its goal despite more than 17 months of legal wrangling. He noted that the new version of InfoWars would function as a digital comedy network featuring independent comedians and Heidecker parodying Jones’ signature intense delivery and conspiracy-laden monologues.

A lawyer for the Sandy Hook families expressed support for the plan, stating that when InfoWars finally changes hands, the platform that once spread harm could become a force for good through satire.

The licensing deal represents a creative bridge solution after the earlier outright purchase attempt was blocked. Court documents indicate the monthly fee would help cover carrying costs to preserve the assets during the transition, according to The New York Times.

Observers have noted the deep irony of America’s self-described “finest news source” stepping in to run a site long associated with fringe theories ranging from government false flags to outlandish claims about chemicals affecting human behavior.

The Onion has already begun teasing the transition on its own channels. If the April 30 hearing goes smoothly, the shift could take effect shortly afterward.

This latest development caps years of efforts by the Sandy Hook families to hold Jones accountable and find a way to recover damages while neutralizing the platform that amplified their pain for years.