John McAfee Net Worth

Think of antivirus software, and your mind immediately goes to McAfee – but what do you know about the man behind the brand? John McAfee is a colorful character, and the minds behind the popular software have an exciting story.

He was the founder of a software company that still uses his name. He made a fortune by selling computer products in the 80s and early 90s. He has been through several highs and lows – both professionally and personally, but that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the richest men in the tech world.

So, just how much was John McAfee worth?

Early Life

John David McAfee was born in 1945 in the United Kingdom to an American father and a British mother. When he was young, his family moved to Salem, Virginia, eventually settling in Lexington, Kentucky. He showed an early interest in mathematics and science and went on to study at Moorhead State University. He dropped out after two years to join the United States Army, where he worked as a medic during the Vietnam War. After his time in the army, he moved to Japan, where he taught English for a short time. He then moved back to the United States and started working as a programmer for NASA. During his time at NASA, he developed an interest in computers and started to develop his own computer programs. He then left NASA to start his own software company, McAfee Associates, in 1987.

McAfee Associates was one of the first companies to develop and sell antivirus software. The company was successful; within a few years, it had grown to employ over 300 people. In 1992, John McAfee sold his stake in the company for $100 million. He then set up several other businesses, including an investment firm and a private detective agency, and worked as a software consultant. 

What is John McAfee’s Net Worth?

At the time of his death in 2021, John McAfee’s net worth was estimated to be $4 million. However, this does not paint an accurate picture of his actual wealth as he has been through several highs and lows during his lifetime. Forbes magazine estimated his net worth to be $100 million, but this was before he lost a large chunk of his fortune in the 2008 financial crisis.

While running for President, John McAfee claimed to be a billionaire but failed to provide any proof of this. He made a series of bad investments that cost McAfee millions, most notably selling a Colorado estate valued at $25 million for a measly $5.7 million in 2013. He also lost a lot of his wealth in 2012 while fleeing the Belize police, who wanted to question him about the murder of his neighbor.

While the $4 million is what records show, many speculate that he made much more money by supporting cryptocurrencies, thus putting his true net worth much higher. Even though he could never prove that he was a billionaire, there is no doubt that John McAfee was a wealthy man.

What Business Was McAfee Associated With?

McAfee Associates was the first significant venture for John McAfee. The company was a pioneer in the antivirus software industry, making him a millionaire. Intel Security went on to acquire the company in 2010. After selling his stake in McAfee Associates, John McAfee set up several other businesses. He established Tribal Voice, PowWow, one of the earliest instant messaging platforms. The company was later sold to Microsoft.

In 2000 he invested in Zone Labs, a security software company. The company was later sold to Check Point for $205 million. After the 2008 financial crisis, McAfee started QuorumEx in 2010. The company specialized in producing quorum sensing inhibitors, a new class of antibiotics.

He has had many other business ventures over the years, but none of them have succeeded. In 2013, he launched a yoga retreat in Colorado which quickly ran into financial difficulties.

MGT capital investments is a publicly traded company that John McAfee took over in 2016. The company focuses on investing in cybersecurity firms. He also drove the firm into the crypto business by mining Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Politics

In 2016, John McAfee ran for the Libertarian Party nomination for President of the United States. He failed to win the nomination but did receive 1.1% of the vote in the primaries. While running for President, John McAfee made several controversial statements, including saying that he would legalize all drugs if elected and calling for a return to the gold standard. He also courted controversy by making several sexist and racist remarks during his campaign. In 2020, McAfee announced he was running for President again but later withdrew from the race due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Controversies

John McAfee has been embroiled in several controversies over the years. In 2012, he was wanted by the Belize police for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor. He fled the country and was later arrested in Guatemala. He was released without charge and returned to the United States. In 2019, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged John McAfee with fraud for promoting cryptocurrencies that he was paid to shill without disclosing that he was being paid to do so. He also recorded a video on uninstalling McAfee antivirus in what he claimed to be a mockery of the media.

He settled with the SEC in 2020 and agreed to pay a fine of $25 million. In 2019, McAfee alleged that he was running from U.S. authorities over tax evasion. He was then arrested in Spain at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice in 2020 for failure to pay income taxes between 2014 and 2018. The Spanish National Court authorized his extradition in June 2021, so he could face charges in Tennessee. It is alleged that he went on to commit suicide a few hours after the authorization.

John McAfee Fun Facts

• In 2012, he claimed that the Belize government was trying to kill him and changed his name to “stuff.”
• In 2013, he was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
• He has been married five times and has four children.
• He has run for the U.S. presidency twice.

FAQs

Q: What did John McAfee say about smartphones?

A: McAfee had numerous concerns about smartphones claiming that they spied on users and collected data that could be used to track and control them.

Q: What was John McAfee’s first business?

A: John McAfee’s first business was a software company called McAfee Associates which he founded in 1987.

Q: When did John McAfee die?

A: John McAfee allegedly committed suicide on June 14th, 2021, a few hours after being extradited to the United States.

John McAfee FAQs