John McAfee’s wife denies that he was suicidal due to money woes after mansion spree and says the ‘truth’ will come out
JOHN McAfee’s wife has slammed suggestions her late husband was suicidal over money woes and says the “truth” will come out. Janice McAfee’s comments come after an author claimed John was broke when he died in prison after blowing his $100 million fortune on “bizarre” mansions. Mark Eglinton, who collaborated with the tech pioneer on […]
JOHN McAfee’s wife has slammed suggestions her late husband was suicidal over money woes and says the “truth” will come out.
Janice McAfee’s comments come after an author claimed John was broke when he died in prison after blowing his $100 million fortune on “bizarre” mansions.
Mark Eglinton, who collaborated with the tech pioneer on a book for six months while he was on the run, believed McAfee was penniless at the time of his death.
Speaking to the Mail Online, Eglinton suggested McAfee lost his fortune on the property market after he revealed “where he spent his money over the years”.
“He had his money in very safe investments, but he built houses, absolutely bizarre properties,” the author said.
“Some of them, he never slept a night in the property.”
McAfee owned, at various points, large mansions and compounds in Belize, Texas, Colorado, Hawaii and Tennessee, among other locations.
McAfee’s compound in Woodland Park, Colorado, was valued at more than $25 million, but it sold at auction for a mere $5.72 million in 2007.
Eglinton revealed the 75-year-old’s greatest loss was the $100 million sale of the McAfee Associates – a computer antivirus company which he founded in 1987.
Eglinton said McAfee told him: “The $100 million I got out of McAfee, that goes very quickly.”
‘HE NEVER FELT MORE FREE’
Janine, who married John in 2013, took to Twitter on Saturday to respond to the author’s claims.
“This is hardly news. John spoke about being broke numerous times in interviews as well as tweeting about it,” she tweeted.
“This was not John’s first time being without money & he was not suicidal because of it. Actually it was quite the opposite. He never felt more free.”
She added: “The truth is immutable.”
Eglinton said McAfee was unable to pay what he requested for the planned book – which is set to be released next month.
“I don’t doubt that if he could have helped he would have,” Eglinton said of the advance fee he requested.
“He said, ‘I can’t do it, my financial situation is worse than yours’.”
The author claimed he interviewed the outlaw for countless hours on Skype while he was on the run – when he was fearing a pending US indictment on charges of tax evasion.
McAfee was finally arrested last October and was facing extradition before his suspected suicide in his jail cell near Barcelona in June.
Before falling into his perilous position, McAfee’s peak net worth was estimated at about $100 million.
The book – titled No Domain: The John McAfee Tapes – eventually fell through as McAfee insisted the publisher pay him in cryptocurrency, Eglinton said.
During his later life the tech guru had became a cryptocurrency investor in which he spoke at news conferences and touting different services.
However, his work quickly dried up and as he later face prosecution after publicly touting cryptocurrency offerings and digital tokens that were later sold once prices rose on the promotions.
In one of his final tweets, McAfee wrote: ‘The US believes I have hidden crypto.
“I wish I did but it has dissolved through the many hands of Team McAfee, and my remaining assets are all seized.
“My friends evaporated through fear of association. I have nothing. Yet, I regret nothing.”
McAfee’s latest revelations comes just days after his wife refused to believe the tech titan hanged himself in a Spanish prison last month – remaining sceptical of the apparent suicide note found in his pocket.
Most read in News
Janice previously tweeted: “There has been no since [sic] of urgency from the various Spanish authorities involved in the investigation into John’s death and there is clearly cover-up happening here concerning the events surrounding his death.
“We have not received the death certificate, the official autopsy report or the official report from the prison.
“I understand that things take time but the lack of cooperation from the Spanish authorities only confirms our suspicions that they have something to hide.”