Antivirus Software Pioneer, John McAfee, Found Dead In Spanish Prison

Antivirus software pioneer John McAfee was found dead in his
jail cell in Spain on Wednesday, a prison official said, shortly
after a court approved his extradition to the United States where
he was wanted for tax evasion.

The 75-year-old was found dead in his cell in the Brians 2
penitentiary near Barcelona “apparently from suicide”, a
spokeswoman for the prison system in the northeastern Catalonia
region said, confirming media reports. She gave no further
details.

McAfee has been in jail in Spain since he was arrested at
Barcelona airport in October 2020, just as he was about to board a
flight to Istanbul.

He is alleged to have deliberately failed to file tax returns
between 2014 and 2018, despite earning millions from consulting
work, cryptocurrencies and selling the rights to his life
story.

If convicted, he could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Spain’s National Court earlier on Wednesday said it had approved
his extradition to the United States.

The decision could still have been appealed and the extradition
would also have needed approval from the Spanish cabinet.

According to the US extradition request filed in November and
quoted in the ruling, McAfee earned more than 10 million euros ($12
million) in the four years in question, but never filed a tax
return

“To conceal his income and assets from the Internal Revenue
Service… the defendant ordered part of his income to be paid to
straw men and placed property in their names,” it said.

The Spanish court decision only referred to offences that took
place between 2016 and 2018.

Since making a fortune in the 1980s with the antivirus software
that still bears his name, McAfee had become a self-styled
crypto-currency guru, claiming to make $2,000 a day.

He has more than one million followers on Twitter.

In a tweet on June 16, he said the US authorities believed he
had “hidden crypto. I wish I did” he said.

“My remaining assets are all seized. My friends evaporated
through fear of association. I have nothing. Yet, I regret
nothing.” (AFP)

Antivirus software pioneer John McAfee was found dead in his
jail cell in Spain on Wednesday, a prison official said, shortly
after a court approved his extradition to the United States where
he was wanted for tax evasion.

The 75-year-old was found dead in his cell in the Brians 2
penitentiary near Barcelona “apparently from suicide”, a
spokeswoman for the prison system in the northeastern Catalonia
region said, confirming media reports. She gave no further
details.

McAfee has been in jail in Spain since he was arrested at
Barcelona airport in October 2020, just as he was about to board a
flight to Istanbul.

He is alleged to have deliberately failed to file tax returns
between 2014 and 2018, despite earning millions from consulting
work, cryptocurrencies and selling the rights to his life
story.

If convicted, he could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Spain’s National Court earlier on Wednesday said it had approved
his extradition to the United States.

The decision could still have been appealed and the extradition
would also have needed approval from the Spanish cabinet.

According to the US extradition request filed in November and
quoted in the ruling, McAfee earned more than 10 million euros ($12
million) in the four years in question, but never filed a tax
return

“To conceal his income and assets from the Internal Revenue
Service… the defendant ordered part of his income to be paid to
straw men and placed property in their names,” it said.

The Spanish court decision only referred to offences that took
place between 2016 and 2018.

Since making a fortune in the 1980s with the antivirus software
that still bears his name, McAfee had become a self-styled
crypto-currency guru, claiming to make $2,000 a day.

He has more than one million followers on Twitter.

In a tweet on June 16, he said the US authorities believed he
had “hidden crypto. I wish I did” he said.

“My remaining assets are all seized. My friends evaporated
through fear of association. I have nothing. Yet, I regret
nothing.” (AFP)