Software entrepreneur John McAfee was found dead in his prison cell in Spain on Wednesday, June 23, grabbing headlines across the globe.
News of McAfee's suicide came hours after the Spanish High Court authorized his extradition to the United States. McAfee was arrested in Spain on Oct. 5, 2020, at the request of the US Department of Justice on tax evasion charges, as previously reported.
'US Authorities Are Determined to Have John Die in Prison'
Days before McAfee's death, his wife, Janice McAfee, wrote about how US authorities wanted him dead for speaking out against the corrupt government in a Father's Day tweet.
"John's honesty has often gotten him in trouble with corrupt governments and corrupt government officials because of his outspoken nature and his refusal to be extorted, intimidated, or silenced," Janice wrote in the two-page note.
"Now the US authorities are determined to have John die in prison to make an example of him for speaking out against the corruption within their government agencies," she continued. She added that her husband is suffering not only mentally but also physically and financially in prison but remains "undeterred" from speaking the truth.
John's Old Tweets Spark Conspiracy Theory
In Spain, the Catalan Justice Department said prison medics failed to resuscitate McAfee, 75, and that everything pointed to suicide. Following his death, past tweets posted by John fueled conspiracy theories that he the antivirus software creator did not die by suicide and may have been killed.
In October, John tweeted saying he feared he would meet the same fate as convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019. "I am content in here. I have friends. The food is good. All is well. Know that if I hang myself, a la Epstein, it will be no fault of mine," John wrote.
Epstein's death has been the focus of wild speculation by QAnon conspiracists who claim he was murdered to protect his powerful friends and allies. QAnon followers believe America is run by an elite group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles.
In another tweet dated Nov. 30, 2019, John wrote, "Getting subtle messages from U.S. officials saying, in effect: 'We're coming for you McAfee! We're going to kill yourself'. I got a tattoo today just in case. If I suicide myself, I didn't. I was whackd. Check my right arm."
Approximately an hour after his death was announced, McAfee's official Instagram posted an image of a bold letter "Q." The Instagram account has since been deleted.
