Founder of anti-virus giant McAfee arrested in Barcelona
October 6, 2020
Officers at Barcelona airport said they arrested John McAfee as he was about to board a flight to Istanbul. He could face extradition to the US, where he is wanted on tax evasion charges.
Image: Adalberto RoqueAFP/Getty Images
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Software creator John McAfee was arrested at Barcelona airport, police said on Tuesday.
A judicial source said the 75-year-old, who is wanted in the United States for tax evasion, appeared via video link before a high court judge and was sent to a jail in Barcelona without bail pending extradition procedures.
Federal prosecutors in the US unsealed and indictment on Monday against McAfee over charges that he evaded taxes and failed to file returns.
He is further accused of concealing assets — including real estate, a yacht and a car — by putting them in the names of others.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has alleged that McAfee made over $23 million (€19 million) in undisclosed compensation from false and misleading cryptocurrency recommendations.
SEC also accuses him of having recommended certain digital currencies to his Twitter followers without disclosing that he was paid millions of dollars to do so.
Officials in the United States had issued an arrest warrant through Interpol and requested his extradition, according to Spanish police.
McAfee in 2012 was sought by law enforcement following the murder of his neighbor in Belize. After escaping through a jungle, he returned to the US and registered as a candidate for the presidential election in 2016.
He ran again for the 2020 presidential election, but ended his campaign in March.
Music in US presidential campaigns
Donald Trump wanted to play hits by the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Rihanna or Tom Petty during his campaign, but the musicians do not want to be associated with the US president.
George Washington: 'God Save Great Washington'
George Washington was the first presidential candidate to use a specific song in his election campaign. "God Save Great Washington" is considered the personal anthem of the first President of the United States. The melody of the British anthem "God Save The King" was given new words without further ado, the president's name replacing the words "Our Gracious King" in the song itself.
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John F. Kennedy, 1960: Frank Sinatra's 'High Hopes'
Sammy Cahn wrote new lyrics to Frank Sinatra's Oscar-winning 1959 hit "High Hopes" for the Kennedy election campaign in 1960. It became the official campaign tune.
Ronald Reagan, 1984: Bruce Springsteen's 'Born in the U.S.A.'
The song chosen for Reagan's 1984 re-election campaign may be the biggest mistake in the history of campaign songs. "Born in the U.S.A." is not as patriotic as one might think. In the song, Bruce Springsteen takes a critical stance on the Vietnam War and criticizes the US government for its treatment of war veterans.
Bill Clinton, 1992: Fleetwood Mac's 'Don't Stop'
It's believed that the choice of the 1977 hit "Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)" was a carefully calculated. That song had been especially popular with young Americans at the time, and 15 years later, Fleetwood Mac fans were middle-aged voters — a generation with a particularly high voter turnout.
George W. Bush, 2000: Tom Petty's 'I Won't Back Down'
Protesting against the use of his song at campaign rallies, Tom Petty prohibited George W. Bush from using it in 2000. Twenty years later, President Donald J. Trump had the very same song played at a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma — and the late musician's family sent a cease-and-desist letter.
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder was regularly played during Barack Obama's 2008 election campaign. The message to his voters was "I am yours!" Many pop greats supported Obama, including Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé and Katy Perry. Rapper and producer will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas produced the track "Yes We Can" in his honor.
