Antivirus software pioneer John McAfee died by apparent suicide in a Spanish prison on Wednesday, police sources told El País.
McAfee, the creator of the McAfee antivirus software, was reportedly found dead in his cell on Wednesday, with the Catalan Justice Department saying it looked like a suicide. His death came shortly after a Spanish court approved his extradition to the U.S. to face tax evasion charges.
McAfee’s lawyers told Reuters that he died by hanging himself in Barcelona where he was in prison.
Authorities are still investigating the scene, as efforts were made to save the 75-year-old’s life but ultimately were unsuccessful.
“The court agrees to grant the extradition of John David McAfee as requested by the American judicial authorities for the crimes referred to in the tax offense indictments for years 2016 to 2018,” the court wrote in its ruling on Monday.
He was arrested in Spain in October and was facing many years of prison if he was sent back to the U.S. McAfee could have faced 25 years for allegedly evading taxes and five years for failing to file a tax return.
He also was indicted on fraud and money laundering charges that had a prison sentence of at least 50 years.
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