The Attorney General’s Office for the Southern District of New York accused McAfee of engaging in cryptocurrency activities. Attorney Javier Villalba said that the authorities are targeting McAfee for his relationship with crypto assets rather than for political reasons.
Businessman John McAfee wrote on Twitter about what has happened to the cryptocurrencies that he received for promoting various projects. However, he said that not everyone will believe that he is telling the truth.
“The United States believes that I have hidden cryptocurrencies. I wish it were true but they have disappeared at the hands of the McAfee team. And the authorities have confiscated all my remaining assets,” he said.
John McAfee added that all his friends disappeared, avoiding being in contact with him. Curiously, 76-year-old John McAfee went to prison for tax evasion in Spain but he has not stopped tweeting almost every day.
John McAfee Lost All His Fortune
In 2020, John McAfee went to prison for evading taxes after the United States placed him on an international wanted list. Specifically, the authorities arrested him in Barcelona while boarding a flight to Istanbul with a British passport.
The Attorney General’s Office for the Southern District of New York accused McAfee of doing activities related to the cryptocurrency sector.
US authorities said that the businessman had made millions of US dollars promoting cryptocurrency projects and consulting, among other sources. The prosecutor’s office also believes that he may be hiding real estate, cars, and yachts registered in the name of third parties.
Is It Really Due to Political Reasons?
Claiming political reasons, John McAfee said at the Spanish National Court that he rejected voluntary extradition. He had attempted to run as a candidate for the Libertarian Party in the US presidential elections on two occasions.
“I also announced that I would attack the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and its corruption. Two months later, the IRS filed charges against me,” the businessman stated.
According to John McAfee’s lawyer, Javier Villalba, the authorities are “persecuting” McAfee for engaging in cryptocurrencies rather than for political reasons.
Contrarily, Spanish prosecutor Carlos Bautista dismissed the politically motivated claim. He said that McAfee “is just a tax rebel, a millionaire who does not want to pay his taxes.”
If Spain extradites McAfee, he will have to face a court for tax evasion charges between 2014 and 2018. He failed to report the proceeds from multiple revenue streams, such as cryptocurrency earnings, promotions and consulting.
But What Really Happened to His Cryptocurrencies?
According to the crimes presented in the prosecutor’s office, many investors were affected between 2017 to 2018. Technology tycoon John McAfee, together with his executive adviser Jimmy Gale Watson Jr., reportedly raised more than USD 13 million.
The US Attorney for Manhattan, Audrey Strauss stated that McAfee and Watson had “exploited the excitement among investors” in cryptocurrencies. They allegedly used a popular social media platform to earn millions “through lies and tricks.”
According to the attorney, both men bought large amounts of altcoins cheaply, after which McAfee promoted them on Twitter. When the price of those crypto assets went up, he resold them for millions of dollars.
McAfee and Watson Jr. could spend from 5 to 20 years in prison for each proven accusation. The authorities of both Spain and the United States punish tax evaders with prison. Besides, US authorities still do not agree with the decentralization and anonymity of cryptocurrencies.
By Alexander Salazar
