Cybersecurity pioneer and crypto influencer John McAfee is still in the dark over whether he will be extradited to the United States over his tax evasion charges. Antivirus software pioneer McAfee and all interested parties will have to wait until a later date is yet to be announced.
The National Court of Spain announced its decision to suspend John McAfee’s extradition case this same week it was supposed to be held. The court cited “mistakes in managing the case,” which they argued would put the defense at a disadvantage as far as performing its functions on the case.
McAfee is facing the Maximum Sentence of Tax Evasion
John McAfee was arrested in El Prat airport in Spain back in October 2020. The antivirus software pioneer is being accused of failing to pay taxes for five years from 2014 to 2018. According to the one year per each year penalty, McAfee is facing the maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.
At the time of arrest, the U.S. Justice Department stated that his extradition to the United States was still pending. The “pending” status has continued to hold seven months later.
John McAfee’s attorney Javier Villalba has expressed his disapproval over how the Spanish authorities are handling his clients. Not only was McAfee denied bail, but Villalba has not been able to access the complete file of John McAfee’s extradition case. Villalba argued that his client was not held over “blood related or drug trafficking” crimes. It was, therefore, unfair for McAfee to stay in a Spanish prison for that long, considering his old age.
McAfee A Flight Risk?
The Spanish authorities denying the cybersecurity pioneer and crypto influencer McAfee bail is not unexpected. The crypto influencer has a history of fleeing when faced with criminal charges. In 2012, McAfee fled from his home in Belize while the authorities were looking to question him over the death of his neighbor. After making an appearance in Guatemala City a few weeks later, the antivirus software pioneer McAfee disappeared again. He only resurfaced in 2016 to run for the U.S. presidency as a Libertarian candidate.
