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McAfee says he could die in Belize jail

Wired spoke again with John McAfee, one of the pioneers of antivirus software, and he alleges that he's being framed by crooked government officials.

Greg Sandoval Former Staff writer
Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. Based in New York, Sandoval is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg, or follow him on Twitter at @sandoCNET.
Greg Sandoval
2 min read

John McAfee, founder of the antivirus company that bears his name, says he's being wrongfully persecuted by officials in Belize and that he fears for his life.

McAfee told Wired in a taped interview that he's trying to elude police. Police began searching for McAfee after one of his neighbors was found dead Sunday morning with a bullet wound to the head. Gregory Faull, a contractor and restaurant owner had complained about McAfee's dogs as well as the technologist's armed security guards.

John McAfee, founder of McAfee Associates Greg Sandoval/CNET

Authorities in Belize say they just to want to question McAfee in connection with the Faull's death and denied any ill intentions toward him. But in his interview with Wired, McAfee kept up his allegations that he is a target of the government and predicted that he will unlikely live very long after he is caught. He claimed that there is very little justice in Belize.

"This is what's going to happen to me, by the way, when I'm caught," McAfee said during the interview. "I will be held without charges. If I survive the 30 days [until the government is required to charge an accused criminal], which I doubt very strongly -- lots of people do die in prison here from strangling on their own vomit, hanging themselves because they're too miserable, or getting beaten to death by fellow inmates or a variety of other things...if I do survive the 30 days, then some judge will go, 'You're guilty. Period.' This is not what should be happening in the most beautiful country in the world."

Go here to listen to the interview.