At his sentencing in November 2021, Jacob Chansley, widely known as the QAnon Shaman, told the judge he was sorry for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when he was one of the first people to breach the U.S. Capitol.
The judge appeared to believe him and told the court Chansley’s remorse seemed genuine, before sentencing him to 41 months in prison.
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But within hours of Chansley’s release from a half-way house in Phoenix last Thursday, he was once again spouting wild conspiracies in a video he posted to Twitter, in which he promised to fight “global corruption” and seek to find “the truth.”
It’s unclear what “truth” Chansley is looking for, but in the days since his release, it’s become very clear that even though he recanted his QAnon beliefs during his trial, he’s doubling down on them now, and trying to profit from his notoriety.
One of the first things Chansley did after being released was launch an extensive line of merchandise. Much of the new merch he’s selling uses his own image, alongside a new title—“America’s Shaman”—that’s an apparent attempt to expand his appeal beyond QAnon supporters.
But there are obvious nods to his QAnon beliefs, including a t-shirt emblazoned with “Qbacca” and a framed ripoff of the “Goodfellas” poster that features an image of Chansley flanked by Former President Donald Trump and disgraced former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Underneath, the film’s title has been changed to “Qultfellas.”
The array of merchandise is impressively large, and includes stickers, buttons, mousepads, copies of Chansley’s mugshot, yoga mats, yoga leggings, t-shirts, baseball socks (currently sold out), hoodies, and mugs. Most of the items have Chansley’s face printed on them, including the “Shaman Heart” skater dress, which features his face not once, but twice.
There is also merchandise advertising Chansley’s “Forbidden Truth Academy” project, which “seeks to improve the lives of its members and transform the world through education and mentorship, offering services to increase IQ, expand consciousness, and enhance personal evolution.”
Chansley’s academy offers courses with titles including “Interdimensional Insights” and “The Truth About Climate Change.” Those who want even more forbidden truth can purchase one-on-one sessions with Chansley himself, for $500 a pop.
Within hours of his release from a Phoenix halfway house on Thursday, Chansley was back at the Arizona Capitol with his face painted red, white and blue, and wearing a Native American headdress. There he appeared on a right-wing podcast where he repeated many of the lies he’s previously spouted.
On Sunday, over 150 people attended a homecoming for Chansley in Scottsdale, Arizona, according to the Arizona Republic. Eschewing his typical garb of fur and horns, Chansley addressed the crowd in a white suit, accessorized with an American flag tie (not available on his website—yet).
Chansley was also interviewed on One America News Network where he was asked about the “Q Sent Me” sign he was holding up during the Jan. 6 riot. Rather than renouncing the QAnon conspiracy, he claimed it as a “psychological operation” before repeating completely unfounded lies about child sex trafficking and the “global elite.”
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