Antivirus software creator John McAfee found dead in jail

Antivirus software pioneer John McAfee was found dead in his jail cell in Spain on Wednesday, a prison official said, shortly after a court approved his extradition to the United States where he was wanted for tax evasion.

McAfee was arrested at Barcelona airport last October trying to board a flight to Istanbul.

Since then, the British-born computer programmer had been held in custody in Brians 2 jail in Sant Esteve Sesrovires.

Prison officials, who had tried to revive McAfee, said that the apparent cause of death was suicide.

He is alleged to have deliberately failed to file tax returns between 2014 and 2018, despite earning millions from consulting work, cryptocurrencies and selling the rights to his life story.

If convicted, he could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Spain’s National Court earlier on Wednesday said it had approved his extradition to the United States.

The decision could still have been appealed and the extradition would also have needed approval from the Spanish cabinet.

According to the US extradition request filed in November and quoted in the ruling, McAfee earned more than 10 million euros ($12 million) in the four years in question, but never filed a tax return.

“To conceal his income and assets from the Internal Revenue Service… the defendant ordered part of his income to be paid to straw men and placed property in their names,” it said.