Alex Jones: InfoWars radio host forced to apologise to Chobani yoghurt boss

It's a u-turn from previous claims he would not back down

Right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones says he has settled a lawsuit filed by Greek yoghurt giant Chobani, despite previous claims that he would never back down in the defamation case.

Mr Jones read a brief statement at the end of his radio show on Wednesday saying he had retracted previous stories and tweets about Chobani.

Chobani had argued in its lawsuit that Mr Jones and his InfoWars website posted fabricated stories earlier this month that linked Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya and the company to a sexual assault case involving refugee children.

The company filed the lawsuit in Idaho District Court in Twin Falls, where it operates the largest yoghurt plant in the world.

Mr Jones added that he regretted mischaracterising Chobani, its employees and the people of Twin Falls.

This year Mr Ulukaya received an Ellis Island Medal of Honour, bestowed by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organisations for people who "have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups".

During recent child custody proceedings Mr Jones's lawyer said his on-air persona was "a character". "He is a performance artist," Randall Wilhite said. He added that using Mr Jones’ on-air persona to judge him as a father would be like judging Jack Nicholson in a custody dispute based on his performance as the Joker in Batman.

Mr Jones, however, later rejected any suggestion he was "playing a trick on the public". He said: "I believe in the overall political programme I am promoting of Americana and freedom."

Additional reporting by agencies