John McAfee reportedly found dead in jail cell

The cryptocurrency enthusiast was awaiting extradition to the U.S. on charges of tax evasion.
 By 
Jack Morse
 on 
John McAfee reportedly found dead in jail cell
Here he is in 2017. Credit: Anthony Kwan / getty

The long and troubled tale of John McAfee has reportedly come to an end.

McAfee was found dead in his prison cell in the Brians 2 Penitentiary Center, outside of Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, reports El Mundo. Earlier in the day, the Spanish high court found he could be extradited to the United States to face charges of tax evasion.

The cause of death has not been confirmed, but both El Mundo and El País report that suicide is suspected. The Associated Press is also reporting that McAfee was found dead Wednesday.


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McAfee, an aerotrek pioneer and creator of antivirus software that still bears his name, had been mired in controversy for years. In addition to allegedly running cryptocurrency pump-and-dump schemes, McAfee fled Belize in 2012 ahead of an investigation into the death of his neighbor.

Among his many pursuits, McAfee also long claimed to be running for U.S. president in while in exile.

His death, regardless of the cause, is sure to spark conspiracy theories — fueled, at least in part, by McAfee himself. The prolific Twitter user long claimed that if he were ever to die by suicide, it would be some sort of coverup.

SEE ALSO: 'Security expert' John McAfee expertly plotted alleged crimes over Twitter DMs

"Getting subtle messages from U.S. officials saying, in effect: 'We're coming for you McAfee! We're going to kill yourself,'" he wrote in 2019. "I got a tattoo today just in case. If I suicide myself, I didn't. I was whackd. Check my right arm."

"Know that if I hang myself, a la Epstein, it will be no fault of mine," he wrote in 2020.


If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, Crisis Text Line provides free, confidential support 24/7. Text CRISIS to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET, or email [email protected]. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Here is a list of international resources.

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Jack Morse

Professionally paranoid. Covering privacy, security, and all things cryptocurrency and blockchain from San Francisco.

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