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Internet entrepreneur John McAfee – wanted for questioning by Belizean officials in the slaying of an American expatriate – told reporters in South Beach Wednesday night that he will speak with police in Belize if they come to the U.S.
“If they want to come here and talk to me, I’d be more than happy to talk to them, yes,” he said at the Beacon Hotel, where he is staying.
Miami International Airport spokesman Greg Chin said the American Airlines commercial jet carrying McAfee landed shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday.
McAfee confirmed that he was taken off the plane before everyone else.
Read the original story at NBCMiami.com
“They stopped the airplane before it reached the gate. They had everybody sit down and then they said ‘Is John McAfee on the plane, please come forward,’" said the 67-year-old creator of the McAfee antivirus program. "And there were a whole bunch of officers. I thought, gee, this is continuing. And they said, ‘We’re here to help you sir, please come with us.' And they whisked me away from you people.”
Alan Diaz / AP
Anti-virus software founder John McAfee, left, sits in a taxi cab in the South Beach area of Miami Beach, Fla., on his way to dinner Wednesday. McAfee arrived in the U.S. on Wednesday night after being deported from Guatemala, where he had sought refuge to evade police questioning in the killing of a man in neighboring Belize.
McAfee was released from detention in Guatemala earlier in the day, the Department of Immigration in Guatemala told NBC News.
He said he had no choice about coming to Miami.
“They put me on an airplane. I am here,” he said.
As McAfee was escorted by Guatemalan immigration officials to the Guatemala City airport, he said, "I'm free. I'm going to America."
Chin said that McAfee would not exit from Immigration and Customs to the public area of the airport. "His exit will be handled post-security by federal authorities," Chin said.
Nestor Yglesias, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations in Miami, said he did not know about any special procedures in place for McAfee’s arrival.
McAfee went on the run last month after Belizean officials tried to question him about his neighbor, Gregory Viant Faull, who was shot to death in early November.
McAfee acknowledges that his dogs were bothersome and that Faull had complained about them, but he denies killing Faull.
Faull's home was a couple of houses down from McAfee's compound in Ambergris Caye, off Belize's Caribbean coast.
McAfee said in South Beacon that he's "not worried at all" about being extradited to Belize.
"If I’m in front of a court, there’s nothing in the world they will do to send me back. They have no evidence, I have tons of evidence about the corruption, the harassment, beginning with the attack on my property in April," he said. "I mean, of course I’m not worried. I’d be happy to go in front of a judge – just not one in Belize.”
McAfee had been detained last week for immigration violations after he sneaked into Guatemala from neighboring Belize. But Guatemalan immigration service spokesman Fernando Lucero said Wednesday that McAfee was being expelled from the country.
"McAfee entered the country illegally," Lucero said. "Guatemala is expelling him. Since his country of origin is the United States, Guatemala is expelling him to the United States."
As McAfee was expelled from the country, he told Bloomberg Television in a phone exchange that he was “perfectly happy with the decision.”
Belizean authorities had been urging McAfee to show up for questioning in the killing, but have not lodged any formal charges against him.
McAfee said he feared he would be killed if he turned himself in to Belizean authorities. In the interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday, McAfee said he has offered to talk to the police "numerous times on the phone."
But "it's not an issue of talking about a murder," he said. "It's an issue of putting their hands on my person."
McAfee's escort to the Guatemala City airport marked the latest chapter for McAfee's strange, month-long odyssey to avoid police questioning about the killing. Throughout, he blogged and spoke with reporters about his life on the lam.
Bystanders in Guatemala City stopped to stare at the passing police convoy, and people at the airport massed around the immigration truck carrying McAfee, straining to take pictures of him with their cell phones.
McAfee suggested his weeklong detention in Guatemala for entering the country clandestinely had taken its toll on him.
"All I can tell you is I'm 10 years older, and I don't know what I'm doing. I'm just going to Miami," he said.
His 20-year-old Belizean girlfriend who has accompanied him since he went on the run was not with him on the ride to the airport. She was last seen early Wednesday leaving the detention facility crying after bringing McAfee breakfast.
The British-born McAfee has led an eccentric life since he sold his stake in the software company named after him in the early 1990s and moved to Belize about three years ago to lower his taxes.
He told The New York Times in 2009 that he had lost all but $4 million of his $100 million fortune in the U.S. financial crisis. However, a story on the Gizmodo website quoted him as describing that claim as "not very accurate at all."
McAfee is an acknowledged practical joker who has dabbled in yoga, ultra-light aircraft and the production of herbal medications.
On Sunday he said he yearned to be in the United States and "settle down to whatever normal life" he can.
"I simply would like to live comfortably day by day, fish, swim, enjoy my declining years," he said.
But on Wednesday night, he said he doesn't have a plan for what's next.
"I’m here, I’m hungry. I plan to eat. That’s basically it," McAfee said, adding a moment later, "If you’ve ever tasted Guatemalan jail food, it’s not very nice, and I’d like some sushi.”
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Meth addict, anyone?
He says not anymore? So either he is an ex-druggie or a he lied. Either way, he's a super rich 67 year old with a smoking 20 year old girlfriend. Holy expletive! I'm jealous and I'm not even 20 yet!
And it's a great gamble for her because drug abusers tend not to live long, healthy lives. And even if he no longer does, he freely admits he did more than plenty which is much more than enough to negatively impact his future health. Can you say inheritance of mass wealth before her 30s? Dam, what a little niche she has. Suck up (both literally and figuratively) to the old rich guy for a few years and it's likely he won't make it close to 80 with his drug abusing past. I'm jealous of her, too. Well, at least as far as her chance to get richy, rich, rich before her 30th birthday and still be young enough to have most of her life ahead of her.
I guess that means I'm jealous of both of them, actually. For different reasons of course.
God of FAte - I'll bet you almost any amount of money that he would give all his money to be looking forward to his 20th birthday, not backwards at his 67th.
Youth and health are two things that money cannot buy.
So, don't waste time being jealous of wealthy old people, especially wealthy, old meth addicts, with a murder indictment hanging over them in Belize.
I can see why you be "dman" - great & true post!
So now uncle Sam will protect this proven tax cheat and possible murderer. Good grief.
I can't imagine how the U.S. does not extradite him back to Belize. Murder is one of the crimes that virtually every country extradites for. He should go back, and stand trial.
No wonder his software sucks. The guy's nuts.
Drug addicts lie. Taking drugs is only a side effect!
SEND HIM BACK TO BELIZE!!!!! HE CAN HAVE A JAIL CELL OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN.
dman-353357 said:
Kevin C-752389 said:
billmcc1 said:
One problem: you can't extradite someone for a crime they haven't been charged with. Even the Belize government still claims he is "not a prime suspect." Just a "person of interest."
A lifetime of being a target for hackers looking to prove themselves along with heavy drug use has left McAfee paranoid, to say the least. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you... Belize isn't exactly known for being a corruption-free paradise.
Because of the remote location and likely lack of skilled forensics, we may never know the true story.
Also: McAfee isn't completely broke yet, but he's getting close. He was never a billionaire. In the early 1990s, his worth maxed out at around $100 million. CelebrityNetWorth.com estimates his current remaining "fortune" at only $4 million. To put $4 million in perspective, Dorell Wright of the Philadelphia 76ers will make more than that in this year's base salary alone. And he's just the 8th highest paid player on the team.
Having less money than people assume is actually part of the defense he's been making: he claims some in the Belize government were trying to shake him down for a "political contribution" that he couldn't afford. When he refused, his neighbor turned up dead and he was wanted as a "person of interest."
R.Scalzo said:
McAfee left the company he founded in 1994. He completely cashed out his stock by 1996. He has no current ties to the company. Intel has owned the McAfee brand for about two years, so complain to them.
You can buy health. Dick Cheney got to the front of the transplant list awfully quick. Donate a 100K to your local hospital and not only will they name a wing or clinic after you you'll get house calls you'll never wait in a waiting room or emergency room again. You can buy youth. You won't actually be any younger but paying some hot 20-25 year old and crawling on top of her and humping will make you feel younger and actually make you healthier as those with a positive outlooks have better health. Look at Hef he may be a old wrinkled prune with a chemical hard-on but he isn't bedridden or waiting to die and bitchin about being old.
Freeze this @sshole's assets and extradite him. We can't expect other country's to extradite people wanted by the US authorities if we don't extradite those that are wanted in other countries.
Welcome home,McAfee,a man ahead of his time.McAfee rocks.
Ah...the privilege of the 1%. No increase in taxes, no extradition back to Belize. The Party will treat you well, my friend.
Thanks for the great application of a great old saying, 234r.
This dude is a true balller. Not only does he have a 20 year old girlfriend, he wants to bring his other girlfriend, who is 17 years old, over here as well!
Since this scumbag left the USA to avoid paying taxes, he should not be allowed to return to the USA unless he is willing to provide an entire accounting of his finances and pay back taxes with penalties and interest for the entire time he was gone. This should apply to anyone who leaves the USA or "hides" money in financial institutions outside the USA in order to keep from paying taxes. It's form of tax evasion, therefore they should be treated as a tax evader! He should also face being questioned regarding the death of his neighbor and if they feel charges are warranted, he should be extradited to Belize to face trial.
@knowsrightandwrong
He actually left to dodge a multimillion dollar lawsuit too, and he went to Belize, because ironically they wouldnt submit him to the US authorities.
say592 (#1.16)
Even more reason for him to have to "face the music." The man's an ASS and I don't like or have any respect for him for several reasons! Not that he gives a hoot what I or anyone else thinks of him...but I would like to believe that soon karma will catch up with him (and people who are like him).
Point taken. I should have said "...a possible murder indictment...".
My main point was that this man was not a person to be envied by any healthy 20-year-old, despite his money and his hot, twenty-something girlfriend.
Am I the only 1 who thinks he looks like an over-used porn-whore from the 70's?
Ewww
"I’d like some sushi"
But, but, but......the article said that his 20-year-old girly friend brought him breakfast......
:-P
He can survive anything. He's a human ANTI-VIRUS.
Where in the world is John McAfee? ROFLMAO
With your Billions and Billions are you any happier?
McAfee never had "billions and billions." About 18 years ago he was briefly worth around $100 million, but is currently worth about $4 million.
In a 2009 Nightline interview, his 80 acre New Mexico compound (complete with private airstrip and hangar) was auctioned off for only $525,000. He made a comment about that being less than he paid for the landscaping, then claimed he'd never been happier. "I feel freer. I have less responsibility and obligations. And I have enough money left to feed myself."
When asked if he though people should have sympathy for him losing everything, he responded "Oh, God, I hope they don't have sympathy. I don't have sympathy for my position. I'm perfectly happy."
That was shortly before he moved to Belize.
John, welcome to Miami. Might I offer you a hooker or a line of blow?
Don't forget the crack! Oh yeah, he says he doesn't do that anymore...
Maybe those threatening to leave the country if Obama won again will want to go to Belize. I'll help them pack. He looks kind of like Ted Nugent he could save lots moving there.
Yoda McAfee dropped his trophy? He definitely looks like he's been doing something, huffing maybe?
Wow, the last time a 20-year-old girlfriend cried for me was ...um ...well ... (gulp) never.
Oh crap. How pathetic is that? :-(
He wants his 2nd girlfriend who is 17 years old, to come to the U.S. also. We mere mortals can only dream of having his life.
He's ij his 70's.Nobody looks young forever.
Yet another reason never to go to places like Guatemala. At least he had some support... What a mess!
The money talked and the bullsh!t walked!
He didn't think enough of the United States and his freedoms here to stay here, but took off to a place where he could do is drugs, and avoid paying his share for the freedoms he had in the U.S. so send him back and let him face the music.
Like many that milk hundreds of millions out of this country then stash the money in offshore accounts or simply move to somewhere like Belize. Clearly he'd have starved trying to live on 100 million with those devastating taxes here.
This, this, a thousand times this. If you chose to live in a backwards nation to save a few dollars, it's your problem when those savings come back to haunt you.
What I think is funny is beginning of last week he was quoted as saying he felt safe in Guatemala because they aren't an extradition country then two days later he is arrested for entering country illegally and spent the next week in jail. Now that he is in Miami he is saying he is safe- I hope they find a reason to send him back to Belize so he can man up and face the questioning and if he isn't guilty as he says he is he shouldn't have a reason to avoid the questioning. We don't need another murderer on the loose in the US so send him back to Belize to face what he did or didn't do.
He abandoned the country that made him rich but now wants our protection. Ship him to Belize.
Just another nut! Send him back, we've got enough in the country!
Quit making this guy out to be a victim. He is an arrogant jerk who is running away from himself.
I work in a nursing home til retirement and took care of many many elderly. I personally think that John McAfee is suffering from some dementia and possibly beginning stages of Ahlzheimers. And no, I'm not being flip or joking. I think that he seems very lost. A shame, with his very brilliant mind, that he gave up his company. He was a pioneer. He needs a psychiatrist and probably a geriontologist. Of course, with a 20 yr old girlfriend, he's not going to be able to face any of that, which is probably the real reason why he left the States. Not thinking straight for quite some time now, I would say, to have had the kind of mind that he used to have.
Seriously, what a d-bag... Looks like he's an extra on the AMC hit "The Walking Dead". If he hasn't done anything wrong, then why run? And why run back to the country he abandoned? Maybe we should charge him for back taxes or something to get a little refund. I mean really, any of us that doesnt have 100Mil, we'd be fugitives and extradicted to Belize without a blink. More rich d-bag preferential treatment... ugggh!!!
I really don't know that I believe him, but to be fair, every single one of those questions has been answered if you bothered to read the article.
He ran because in his opinion, the authorities in Belize are after his life, not justice, and it is widely known that the country isn't the most anti-corruption.
He didn't run back to the US, he was sent here by Guatamala because he was there illegally and the US is his country of record, it wasn't his choice that brought him here.
The US would extradite him to Belize, were he charged with murder. They are only asking to speak to him about the issue, no charges at all have been filed.
It's obvious this guy doesn't live in the real world like the majority of people do.
If charges are ever brought in Belize, FIGHT extradition which would force Belize to put on their entire case before a U.S. Court.
All they will require is enough cause to determine they have a case. The will not be forced to try the case in the US.
Looks like just another steroid poisoned rich a-hole, above the law, taxes are only for little people, poster child for the "Ugly American" , also his Anti Virus STINKS and has for 25+ years since the days of DOS, I hope when he becomes "the bride" in jail he's put in a cell with a 300 pound Bubba then he'll find out what a big man he is.
Too bad Dub ya,Rummy & Wolfy won't suffer the same fate for war crimes.
Stig..."Too bad Dub ya,Rummy & Wolfy won't suffer the same fate for war crimes." The three chances of that are: Slim, fat and none.
So there is no food in the country he was hiding in? Maybe he had a bad craving for Taco Bell.
Just more of the rich and elite can be the biggest of gangsters and still get the royalty treatment. A common man would have been handcuffed and lead off. This capitalistic inequality country sucks period.
It worked for the Kennedy's and Rockafellers, not spelt correctly. Capone wasn't so lucky.
He looks like someone from an OWS protest. Don't feed him. You will spoil his image. Give him a sign and let him go.
Looks more like the Tea Party Crowd to me, all he needs is the frigging flag waving @!$%#., and shouting halleluiah and amen brother. LMAO
He should go to London and join Julian Assange at the Ecudor embassy. They are two of a kind, that think they are above the law.
The rich and elite are above the law. Hell, are you kidding. I thought everyone knew that. Laws are made for the rich and elite to imprison or punish all others. More of that great capitalism effect.
Spot..."The United States is a nation of laws: badly written and randomly enforced." Frank Zappa
"In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed, wealth is something to be ashamed of. Especially wealth which endures while being badly governed." Confucius
I don't know about that Confucius guy but you can't argue with Zappa. He warned me about yellow snow, and he was right, it taste bad.
I don't know about that Confucius guy but you can't argue with Zappa. He warned me about yellow snow, and he was right, it taste bad.
Just another narcissistic jackass.
In another report it was indicated that the neighbor had shot McAfee's dogs. That's a motive for murder.
Maybe you should get your facts straight..
In his drug crazed cloud he's now a vet. He should died in the jungle.
Like this guy knows what's going on..
http://www.policymic.com/articles/19680/john-mcafee-thinks-bath-salts-are-the-finest-drug-ever
This guy is a jackass. He escapes to Belize to pay lower taxes, but is afraid of the government there. Now he's back in the US, getting help from government-funded police that he didn't want to help fund to begin with.
I don't care if he did it or didn't do it. Send him back. He chose to live in Belize in order to save money. He can deal with the consequences.
Don't you just love how these guys flee the oppressive U.S. tax system and live it up overseas...until they're in trouble, then they can't wait to crawl back and hide behind Mama's skirts. Gimme a break.
they should confiscate whatever extra he would have paid here in taxes with interest or do like they did with the facebook guy who left to avoid paying taxes and refuse to let him ever come here again.