Antivirus pioneer and tech outlaw John McAfee blew his $100 million fortune on 'bizarre' mansions and really was broke when he died in a Spanish prison, the Daily Mail reported. Soon before his death on June 23, McAfee claimed in a tweet that he had no hidden cash and was worth 'nothing' — though he had ample reason to conceal his wealth, with the U.S. government seeking to seize his assets on charges of tax evasion. In addition to the feds, the question of McAfee's estate is also of interest to his family, including his widow and staunch supporter Janice, who insists that his death may not have been a suicide, as Spanish authorities found. Now, author Mark Eglinton, who collaborated with McAfee on a book for six months while he was on the run from authorities, believes that McAfee was indeed penniless, citing his personal experience with the outlaw and extensive interviews with him. Eglinton, whose upcoming book, No Domain: The John McAfee Tapes, documents his extensive interviews with the outlaw, said that McAfee was unable to pay what he requested for the planned collaboration, which will now be authored by Eglinton solely. “I don't doubt that if he could have helped he would have,” Eglinton said of the modest advance fee he requested. “He said, ‘I can't do it, my financial situation is worse than yours.’” Eglinton said he interviewed McAfee for countless hours over Skype starting in August 2019, when McAfee was on the run, fearing a pending U.S. indictment on charges of tax evasion, which was unsealed upon his arrest last October. McAfee's peak net worth is estimated at about $100 million, with the bulk coming from the sale of his stake in the antivirus company he founded. McAfee sold off his final stake in the company in 1994.
