John McAfee Death and Who Owns McAfee in 2026

John McAfee and the McAfee company in 2026: the short answer

John McAfee, the founder of McAfee antivirus, died on June 23, 2021 in a prison near Barcelona, hours after a Spanish court approved his extradition to the United States.[1][6] An official autopsy found suicide, and in September 2023 a Spanish court ruled that he died by suicide, closing the probe.[7][8]

He had no role in the company for decades. He left McAfee Associates in 1994, as our original report below says. Today McAfee is a private company owned by an investor group led by Advent International and funds advised by Permira, which completed the deal on March 1, 2022 for over $14 billion.[9]

Timeline: from the first antivirus to the 2023 court ruling

What changed since 2021

The open questions about his death were settled in court. His lawyer said he died by hanging and that nine months in prison had brought him to despair.[6] His family lodged a legal case to demand more checks, and his body stayed in a Barcelona morgue while it ran.[8] In September 2023 the court ruled the death a suicide.[8]

The company changed owners. On March 1, 2022 an investor group led by Advent International and Permira, with Crosspoint Capital, CPP Investments, GIC and a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, completed its purchase of McAfee for over $14 billion.[9] McAfee stopped trading on NASDAQ as a result.[9]

One fix to our original text: John McAfee was indicted on cryptocurrency fraud charges in New York, not sentenced.[3] He died before any US trial. We corrected that line in the report below.

Scams that still use the McAfee name

Our analysis: a famous brand and a famous founder both attract fraud. These are the patterns we see most around the McAfee name.

• Fake renewal invoices. Emails claim your McAfee subscription renewed for a large amount and ask you to call a number to cancel.
• Fake virus pop-ups. Browser pages show a McAfee logo and claim your device is infected, then push a paid download or a call.
• Crypto schemes using John McAfee. Old videos and quotes still appear in token promotions. He was indicted over crypto promotions in 2021.[3]
• Conspiracy bait. Posts that claim he is alive or left a secret file push clicks to ad pages and malware.
• Tech support calls. Callers pose as McAfee staff and ask for remote access to your computer.

How to deal with McAfee related scams in six steps

1. Check the sender. A renewal or invoice email that does not match an account you hold is fake. Look at the real sender address, not the display name.

2. Do not call numbers in the email. Fake invoices push you to phone a "support" line. That call is where the scam starts.

3. Close fake pop-ups. A website cannot scan your computer. Close the tab, and if it locks the browser, end it from the task manager.

4. Never allow remote access. Do not install remote control tools for an unknown caller. If you already did, disconnect and scan the device with help from our virus removal guides.

5. Check your account yourself. Type the official address into the browser and log in to see if any renewal is real.

6. Report the scam. Our guide on how to report phishing explains where to send it. Check if your email leaked with our leak check.

What is still unknown

• Who runs McAfee day to day in 2026. Peter Leav was CEO at the 2022 takeover, and we did not confirm the current chief executive.[9]
• Whether Advent and Permira plan to sell McAfee or take it public again. We found no announcement as of 2026.
• What happened to John McAfee's body after the 2023 ruling. The Reuters report we read did not say.[8]

Our original 2021 report

The text below is our report as first published in 2021. We keep it unchanged for the record; the sections above bring it up to date.

Software tycoon that set different standards for cybersecurity back in the late 1980s and 1990s was found dead in prison.[1] John McAfee was the inventor of the world's first commercial anti-virus system released back in 1987. Later on, he worked with Xerox, NASA.[2] Inventor has lived and made his name in various industries while his name is best known as the "father" of anti-virus software.

The most recent years of the well-known software creator were spent in a Spanish jail. The so-called genius was found dead in his cell hours after the court announced his extradition. The mogul spent these years in jail for tax evasion, breaking security laws while pocketing $23 million from cryptocurrency promotions and other deals.

McAfee, before his arrest in October at Barcelona airport, had lived on the run for years. He was indicted in the US, Tennessee, on tax evasion charges and was indicted, not sentenced, on cryptocurrency fraud charges in New York. However, before all that, he has built a career in the technology and internet security field with the rare success that even current-day geniuses could be envious of. John McAfee had dug into the cryptocurrency field way before it was trendy as right now.[3]

The biggest success came from founding McAfee Associates, a company that focuses on anti-virus software solutions. On the other hand, after his 1994 resignation, he became one of the biggest companies' critics. When McAfee's wealth peaked, he became more interested in cryptocurrency, smartphones, and internet technology.[4]

McAfee software and research team importance

The company has the purpose of informing users and keeping the cybersecurity of companies and everyday users controlled. Continuous reports from the threat researchers inform about unique ransomware families that emerge, prepare daily/weekly/monthly reports on most dangerous crypto-threats, release analysis on new ransomware strains, vulnerabilities, and security incidents that affect many people or companies all over the world.

The security vulnerability in Peloton products,[5] recently was found by this company. The particular flaw allowed attackers to install threats via a USB port and spy on riders. The Android attachment was to blame here. Threat actors could have accessed the bike, and once the fake version of a popular application got installed, the user unknowingly gets spied on. Such details as personal information can also get stolen via such programs.

The official from Peloton said when the update to devices was released after the vulnerability was addressed:

McAfee reported a vulnerability to us that required direct, physical access to a Peloton Bike+ or Tread to exploit the issue.

This is the purpose of the Advanced Threat Research team at McAfee – to find and report any bugs or flaws that can endanger people worldwide or affect huge networks of companies. By doing their research, the team can help others avoid such attacks and incidents.

The cybersecurity industry reacts to the death of anti-virus founder

John McAfee is considered a forefather of the cybersecurity industry. He founded one of the first anti-viruses and started the company that remains one of the leaders in software based on cybersecurity vendors. Even though he has not been associated with the company since 1994, his name is known for the founding and the later incidents, highly controversial lifestyle, and behavior.

Many figures in the industry reacted to the news and have spoken to news media reflecting on the passing and his legacy to the IT and security industry. The IT security leader Quentyn Taylor stated:

Whilst he was one of the pioneers of the industry, the path he then walked up to the present day was mired in controversy as well as legal and regulatory drama. Someone who will be remembered for a long time in the infosec industry, but not necessarily for what he may have wished for.

People like security awareness advocates, cybersecurity software creators called John a charming and polarising figure that leaves a void after the passing. Besides his controversial life, people state that the work that he started is critical now. Raef Meeuwisse, cybersecurity expert and author, said:

He was certainly able to see some lucrative tech opportunities ahead of the curve.

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