John McAfee Found Dead in Spanish Cell After Extradition Announcement

John McAfee, the creator of the eponymous antivirus protection software, 
was found dead in his Spanish prison cell after an announcement earlier 
Wednesday that he would be extradited to the U.S. to face charges of 
financial crimes, the Associated Press reported.

Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia reported that he appeared to have died by 
suicide, citing a statement from the regional Department of Justice of 
Catalonia, where he was being held.


McAfee, 75, was arrested on tax evasion charges for failing to file tax 
returns for four years. He had been in jail in Spain since Oct. 6, facing 
charges that he hid significant assets which included real estate and a 
yacht.

The cybersecurity pioneer’s defense had argued that the extradition 
request was politically motivated and therefore wasn’t appropriate. He 
disagreed with the current monetary system, which has made him “public 
enemy No. 1,” according to court documents released on Wednesday. The U.S. 
calculates that McAfee owed more than $4.2 million in taxes, the documents 
show.

The ruling came as the latest setback for McAfee’s burgeoning legal 
troubles. In March, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also 
accused him of hiding cryptocurrency income of more than $23 million. 
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss has said McAfee “exploited a widely 
used social media platform and enthusiasm among investors in the emerging 
cryptocurrency market to make millions through lies and deception.”

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-23/mcafee-found-dead-in-
spanish-cell-after-extradition-announcement