John David McAfee, the founder of the eccentric antivirus software company McAfee, was found dead in his prison cell in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday. According to the reports, McAfee allegedly hanged himself shortly after the country’s National Court approved his extradition to the United States to face criminal tax evasion charges.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo quoting the Catalan Justice Department claimed McAfee, 75, died within hours of the extradition order.
In a statement, the Catalan justice department said that prison officers and medics had tried to save the life of a 75-year-old man but had been unsuccessful.
“Judicial staff have been dispatched to the prison and are investigating the causes of death,” the statement said, adding: “Everything points to death by suicide.”
Why was McAfee in trouble?
Since his arrest in October 2020, McAfee has been kept in prison awaiting extradition to the United States. He was charged with tax evasion and securities fraud in connection with an alleged bitcoin pump and dump scheme. His extradition had been authorized by Spanish courts, with the possibility of an appeal.
