The crazy life of John McAfee, the cybersecurity legend who just committed suicide in prison

If the last time you thought about John McAfee was when you saw the “update your antivirus” message, you’re not alone. However, it’s time to re-read the news because Mr. McAfee’s story has taken a completely different turn, more dramatic and strange than any other novel.

McAfee killed himself in a Spanish prison at the age of 75 today, just hours after a Spanish court ruled he could be extradited to the US to face tax evasion charges. The sudden death made people curious once again about his controversial life, a legend in the technology world.

John McAfee was born in England on September 18, 1945, but his family moved to America when he was young. In his youth, he lived a rather difficult life. His father is an alcoholic. When he was 15 years old, his father committed suicide. He studied at Roanoke College, which is also where he started drinking. However, he also proved his entrepreneurial spirit at a young age. His first job was door-to-door sales of magazines, which saved him a small amount of money.

He worked at a punch card system encryption company in the late 1960s, a job that taught him the basics of computers. With this information, he got a job at the Missouri Pacific train company, where he helped use IBM computers to correct train schedules.

During this time, he experimented with more addictive drugs and lost his job because of it. In the 1970s, he moved to Silicon Valley, holding various positions at various technology firms. Surprisingly, he was still high on drugs and alcohol. It was not until 1983 that he became aware of everything and regained consciousness. Speaking to Wired magazine, he said he felt lonely and scared and decided to seek help.

In the 1980s, he worked for Lockheed. At that time, computers were relatively new. In 1986, the first virus attacked computers. He read about programs that infiltrate computers and decided to start his own company against viruses. McAfee Associates takes off. In the late 1980s, the company was making $5 million a year, some of the biggest companies in the world also used his anti-virus platform.

He continued to have more success, especially when the Michelangelo computer virus was born in 1992. He called it one of the most dangerous viruses, estimated to affect 5 million computers. At that time, anti-virus software is not what many people will buy. However, thanks to Michelangelo, the fever of protecting computers against viruses was born. That helped McAfee become famous and become a multi-million dollar business.

In 1994, he resigned from the company he founded. Two years later, he sold the stock, earning $100 million. He was relatively quiet after leaving the company. He only advises startups, teaches at a Harvard school, pursues his own projects. He also developed two social networks, PowWow and Tribal Voice, but failed.

In 2008, the economic crisis caused him to struggle. An article said that his fortune decreased from $ 100 million to $ 4 million. In the late 2000s, he decided to sell his land and move to Belize. Here, he wants to enter the world of antibiotics. With the help of microbiologist Allison Adonizio, he believes it is possible to make disease-fighting plant products. He started a company called Quorumex.

Even so, things in Belize start to get weird. Mr. McAfee was convinced that he was being watched all the time. He often stopped by Lover’s Bar, watching people go in and out every day. He gradually withdrew from everything. He became obsessed with observing people in this impoverished town. After six months, he said he no longer had any connection to society. He also recounted public urination during the day in the town.

In 2012, he was implicated when his neighbor Gregory Faull was shot and killed. He fled after being questioned by Belize authorities. He was arrested in Guatemala “thanks to” a mistake by the Vice news site. The Vice reporter followed him for the interview but posted a picture of McAfee with GPS information. Not long after, Guatemalan police arrested him on charges of illegal entry. While incarcerated, he had a series of heart problems. In the end, he was deported and returned to the US.

After this, he became a media favourite. People were curious to know who he was, where he was and if he was crazy. He also made it difficult for himself with his odd behavior. For example, in 2013, he posted a bizarre video titled “How to Uninstall McAfee Antivirus.” In the video, he is surrounded by many girls trying to remove the anti-virus software he invented. The video also has a gun and alludes to drug use and gun use.

In August, McAfee was arrested for drunk driving and illegal possession of a firearm. On Facebook, he admitted to driving under the influence of Xanax, but blamed the doctor for not specifying the harmful effects of the drug.

In September 2015, he submitted his candidacy for the 2016 US Presidential election and announced the creation of his own party, “The Cyber ​​Party”. He introduced himself by video on YouTube. In the end, he was unsuccessful, not even nominated.

Mr. McAfee was appointed Chairman and CEO of a mysterious technology company, MGT Technologies. Initially, the company invested in fantasy games and mobile games, but turned to cybersecurity. They also invested in a non-security dropper maker.

In October 2020, on behalf of the US government, Spain arrested McAfee. He was accused of tax evasion for four years despite earning millions from consulting work, virtual currency and selling private information. He was also accused of concealing assets when yachts and real estate were declared under someone else’s name. In March 2021, he was charged with fraud and money laundering when the US Department of Justice accused him and his partner of defrauding investors of more than $13 million for falsely promoting virtual currencies. He refused to be extradited to the US, citing political persecution. A Spanish court ruled that extradition must take place and hours later he committed suicide in prison, ending a tumultuous life.