Tuesday, Oct 27, 2026

The controversial life of antivirus pioneer Jonathan McAfee

As per reports, he died by suicide after a Spanish court had approved his extradition to the United States on tax evasion charges

By Shweta Watson

Published Date - 24 June 2021, 07:33 PM

The controversial life of antivirus pioneer Jonathan McAfee — Antivirus pioneer Jonathan McAfee.

Hyderabad: Computer virus was probably the only virus that scared people back in the 1980s before Jonathan McAfee effectively found an antivirus software. It still bears his name. His invention landed millions of dollars into his bank account.

However, it didn’t quite come as a surprise for many when he was found dead in his prison cell in Barcelona on June 23. According to authorities, he reportedly died by suicide after a Spanish court had approved his extradition to the United States on tax evasion charges.

Mr McAfee was arrested last October at Barcelona Airport for reportedly deliberately failing to pay taxes on millions he made through crypto-currency and other work between the years 2014-2018. If convicted, the 75-year-old British-American entrepreneur would have faced upto 30 years in prison.

According to The Telegraph, in 2019, he posted a cryptic message on Twitter to his more than a million followers, revealing a new tattoo on his arm, reading: “$Whackd”.

“Getting subtle messages from US officials saying, in effect: “We’re coming for you McAfee! We’re going to kill yourself”. I got a tattoo today just in case. If I suicide myself, I didn’t. I was whackd. Check my right arm.”

The Spanish police is investigating the cause, although “everything points to death by suicide”.

Mr McAfee’s life was surrounded with controversies. He was questioned by police in 2012 for the death of his neighbour, who died with a bullet in his head. Although he denied all allegations of murder, it was reported that the neighbour had earlier quarreled with McAfee regarding his dogs. His “viscious dogs” would apparently attack other neighbours as well as tourists near McAfee’s beach property. The billionaire later claimed that his dogs were poisoned and he had to shoot them to put them out of their misery.

He was also alleged of rape, underage prostitution and bribery. He even tried to run for the President of the US in 2016.

In the following years, McAfee was once also detained with his wife Janice for entering the Dominic Republic with firearms in his yatch.