Cybersecurity entrepreneur, cryptocurrency advocate, and former U.S. presidential candidate John McAfee has been found dead in his jail cell in Sant Esteve de Sesrovires, Barcelona, Spain within hours of a court’s ruling that he would be extradited to the United States on charges of tax evasion and failure to disclose income.
According to Spanish outlet El Pais, the 75-year-old McAfee was found “dead in the cell, and the prison medical services have intervened to carry out resuscitation maneuvers, according to the Department of Justice, but they have not been able to save his life.”
“The Mossos are investigating what happened, and everything points to a suicide, as reported by the Department of Justice,” the report states. McAfee had described the extradition request as “politically motivated,’ and noted that he was “public enemy #1” of the United States government.
As National File previously reported, McAfee was arrested on charges of tax evasion in October 2020:
John McAfee, one of the original pioneers in the anti-virus software industry, has been indicted by the US Justice Department of 15 counts of tax evasion.
The Justice Department’s indictment alleges that McAfee earned millions of dollars in the years 2014 to 2018 from promoting cryptocurrencies, engaging in consulting work, appearing at speaking engagements, and selling the rights to his life story for a documentary. In each of those years he failed to report any income to the Internal Revenue Service.
McAfee was arrested in Spain where he awaits extradition to the United States.
In his final tweet, on June 18, McAfee wrote, “In a democracy, power is given not taken. But it is still power. Love, compassion, caring have no use for it. But it is fuel for greed, hostility, jealousy… All power corrupts. Take care which powers you allow a democracy to wield.”
In a democracy, power is given not taken.
But it is still power.
Love, compassion, caring have no use for it. But it is fuel for greed, hostility, jealousy…
All power corrupts.
Take care which powers you allow a democracy to wield.
— John McAfee (@officialmcafee) June 18, 2021
