John McAfee, the controversial tech entrepreneur who pioneered antivirus software, died penniless in 2021, according to recent claims by his biographer Mark Eglinton. At the height of his career, McAfee amassed a fortune exceeding $100 million, but by the time of his death in a Spanish prison, his wealth had reportedly dwindled to nothing.
From Software Magnate to Financial Collapse
McAfee made his fortune as the founder of McAfee Associates, the company responsible for creating the world’s first commercial antivirus software. By the mid-1990s, McAfee was a tech industry titan, enjoying financial success after selling his stake in the company. However, despite cashing out with over $100 million, McAfee’s wealth would soon begin to unravel.
In the years following his initial success, McAfee embarked on a series of risky ventures and lavish purchases. He acquired properties in Belize, Colorado, Hawaii, Texas, and Tennessee, including an elaborate compound in Colorado valued at $25 million at its peak. Unfortunately, following the 2008 global recession, McAfee was forced to sell many of these properties at steep losses. That same Colorado compound sold at auction for just $5.8 million.
The Financial Reality Revealed
According to Eglinton, who collaborated with McAfee for six months on a biography, the entrepreneur was candid about his dire financial situation. In fact, McAfee was unable to pay Eglinton a contracted fee advance. “I can’t do it, my financial situation is worse than yours,” McAfee reportedly confessed.
This narrative aligns with McAfee’s own public statements. In one of his final tweets, McAfee remarked: “The US believes I have hidden crypto. I wish I did but it has dissolved through the many hands of Team McAfee (your belief is not required), and my remaining assets are all seized. My friends evaporated through fear of association. I have nothing. Yet, I regret nothing.”
The Fall from Grace
McAfee’s life became increasingly erratic in his later years. After relocating to Belize, McAfee faced legal troubles, including being named a person of interest in a neighbor’s murder, although no charges were ever filed against him in connection with the crime. His time in Belize was marked by further controversy and media attention.
He later fled Belize, lived on a yacht, and remained on the move, staying in various countries while dodging legal troubles in the United States, including tax evasion charges.
Janice McAfee’s Response
McAfee’s widow, Janice McAfee, responded to the Daily Mail’s report, confirming her husband had long spoken openly about his financial difficulties. “John spoke about being broke numerous times in interviews as well as tweeting about it,” she said on social media. Janice rejected the suggestion that financial hardship contributed to McAfee’s death. “He was not suicidal because of it. Actually it was quite the opposite. He never felt more free,” she added.
On June 23, 2021, just hours after a Spanish court ruled that he could be extradited to the United States to face tax evasion charges, McAfee was found dead in his jail cell. Authorities concluded he died by suicide, but Janice and others have publicly questioned that determination.
A Complex Legacy
John McAfee was a polarizing figure whose life reflected extremes of both wealth and chaos. From creating a product that transformed the cybersecurity landscape to living off-grid and making headlines with increasingly bizarre behavior, McAfee was nothing if not unconventional.
While his early success as a tech entrepreneur made him a millionaire many times over, McAfee’s fortune ultimately evaporated. Much of his financial downfall stemmed from ill-fated investments, an extravagant lifestyle, and a series of legal entanglements.
