FACT CHECK: Was Alex Jones Fined $150 Billion Form COVID-19 Related Comments?
A post shared on social media purports that radio show host Alex Jones was fined $150 billion for “warning” about Covid-19 crimes.
Verdict: False
Jones was fined for comments about the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.
Fact Check:
The suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting will remain in custody after the court hearing, but there is no possibility of the death sentence due to his age, The Associated Press reported. The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, was also taken into custody for letting his underaged son possess a firearm, a semi-automatic according to arrest records.
A post shared on Threads purports that Jones was fined for “warning” the public about “Covid Crimes” while META CEO Mark Zuckerberg was not fined after admitting to committing crimes related to COVID-19. The post shared this information with text over images of the two.
The text over Zuckerberg’s image reads, “Apologized for Covid Crimes FINED $0.” The text over Jones’ image reads, “WARNS about Covid Crimes FINED: $150B+.”
The claim is inaccurate. Jones was fined $1.5 billion for his comments he made about the Sandy Hook shooting, according to Reuters. Jones claimed that the shooting was a staged event by the government, the outlet reported.
During testimony in court, Jones conceded that the attack did occur, NPR reported. The article states that after meeting the parents of the victims, Jones said the shooting was “100% real.”
The attack occurred at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, as outlined in a report by CNN. The shooter killed 20 students and 6 adults, the report stated. (RELATED: Does This Image Show The Suspect In The Recent Georgia Shooting?)
This is not the first time misinformation has circulated online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a claim images from the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump were created with artificial intelligence.