John McAfee, the former antivirus software magnate was found dead in a prison near Barcelona on Wednesday around 1 p.m. ET after his extradition to the US was approved.
The controversial antivirus software pioneer died at the age of 75. McAfee was waiting for extradition in a Spanish prison after he was charged with tax evasion in the United States the previous year.
The cause of the death is said to be under investigation. According to a statement from the Catalonia regional government Justice Department, the prison medical personnel and guards tried to perform life-saving procedures after finding McAfee. They suggest that McAfee could have died by suicide.
The news of his death came shortly after the Spanish National Court announced this week that McAfee could be extradited to the US to face charges there.
McAfee was arrested last October after he was charged in the United States for tax evasion several months earlier. The reason for his arrest is said to be due to failure in filling taxes for four years despite earning millions in income between 2014 and 2018 from promoting cryptocurrencies, consulting work, speaking engagements, and selling the rights of his life story for a documentary, as per the court documents. The amount he owed wasn’t revealed in the warrant.
The Spanish judges approved his extradition to face charges for the 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Earlier this month, the Spanish court held a virtual hearing where McAfee argued that the US tax evasion charges against him were politically motivated.
Looking for more Security News, subscribe to our newsletter and get regular updates.
