• John McAfee hospitalized in Guatemala due to heart attacks, lawyer says

    Founder of McAfee security software John McAfee emerged from hiding in Guatemala where he plans to seek asylum. McAfee claims he is being persecuted by police in Belize where he is considered a person of interest in the killing of another American.

    By Reuters

    GUATEMALA CITY – Software guru John McAfee, who is fighting deportation to Belize, was rushed to the hospital in Guatemala on Thursday after his lawyer said he suffered two mild heart attacks.

    McAfee was carried out on a stretcher from an immigration service cottage where he was detained after crossing illegally into Guatemala from neighboring Belize.

    Police in Belize want to question McAfee in connection with his neighbor's murder. 

    Earlier a Guatemala official said the government was going to try to send McAfee back to Belize.

    McAfee was posting on his blog whoismcafee.com when he suffered the heart attacks, said the lawyer, Telesforo Guerra. "I don't think a heart attack prevents one from using one's blog,'' he added.

    Guerra's assistant, Karla Paz, said she had found McAfee lying on the ground, unable to move his body or speak.

    McAfee -- famous for the anti-virus software that still bears his name -- crossed into Guatemala with his 20-year-old girlfriend to evade authorities in Belize, who want to quiz him as "a person of interest" about the killing of fellow American Gregory Faull.

    "He entered the country illegally and we are going to seek his expulsion for this crime," Interior Minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla said.


    McAfee, 67, was detained by Guatemalan police and a member of Interpol at the upscale Intercontinental hotel in Guatemala City.

    Government spokesman Francisco Cuevas said the entrepreneur would be expelled to Belize.

    Erratic behavior
    One of Silicon Valley's first entrepreneurs to build an Internet fortune, McAfee made millions of dollars through antivirus software.

    McAfee's behavior has been increasingly erratic in recent years but there is no international arrest warrant for him. Police in Belize say he is not a prime suspect.

    Fernando Lucero, spokesman for Guatemala's immigration department, said immediate deportation had been ruled out.

    Guerra was seeking an injunction to have him released and McAfee said on his blog that he would not now be returned to the Belize border until a higher judge reviewed the case.

    John McAfee, creator of an anti-virus software and resident of Belize, is hiding from authorities who want to charge him for the shooting death of his neighbor. McAfee, who has a reputation for being bizarre, said, "I think that eccentricity in some people makes for a more interesting world but eccentricity does not make a murderer." NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.

    Reporter's iPhone photo reveals John McAfee's location

    McAfee was taken to a residence belonging to the immigration department guarded by a small group of police.

    He had been seeking political asylum in Guatemala, which has been embroiled in a long-running territorial dispute with Belize. 

    Residents and neighbors on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived in Belize for about four years, say he is eccentric, impulsive, volatile and at times unstable, citing his love of guns and young women.

    'Wild country'
    McAfee has said he believes authorities in Belize will kill him if he turns himself in for questioning. Belize's prime minister has denied this and called him paranoid and "bonkers."

    "It's a wild, wild country," McAfee told Reuters in an interview in his hotel room just hours before his detention.

    Software guru John McAfee held in Guatemala

    "Everyone sees one part of Belize," he said. "They think it's a wonderful, peaceful, lovely place, blue waters, so McAfee has got to be crazy. Maybe I am crazy. If I were, I wouldn't know."

    In Belize, he was often seen with armed bodyguards dressed in camouflage, pistols tucked into his belt. McAfee's slain neighbor had complained about the loud barking of dogs that guarded his exclusive beachside compound.

    His run-in with authorities in Belize is a world away from a successful life in the United States, where the former Lockheed systems consultant started McAfee Associates in the late 1980s. McAfee has no relationship now with the company, which was sold to Intel Corp.

    There was already a case against McAfee in Belize for possession of illegal firearms, and police had previously raided his property on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal synthetic narcotics.

    He says he has not taken drugs since 1983.

    "(Before then) I took drugs constantly, 24 hours of the day, I took them for years and years. I was the worst drug abuser on the planet," McAfee said. "Then I finally went to Alcoholics Anonymous, and that was the end of it."

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  • Software guru John McAfee held in Guatemala

    Johan Ordonez / AFP - Getty Images file

    U.S. anti-virus software pioneer John McAfee listens to questions from a journalist in front of the Supreme Court in Guatemala City on Dec. 4.

    By NBC News staff and wire services

    Anti-virus software guru John McAfee was detained by Guatemalan police on Wednesday for illegally entering the country, interior minister Mauricio Lopez Bonilla said.

    McAfee's lawyer said he would be held until it could be determined if he entered the country legally, according to NBC News' Fabiola Lacayo.


    McAfee crossed into Guatemala to evade authorities in Belize who want to question him in connection with the murder of his neighbor. There is no international arrest warrant for McAfee.

    McAfee smuggled himself and his girlfriend, who he calls Samantha, across the porous land border that Belize shares with Guatemala. He stayed at a hotel in a national park before heading for Guatemala City on Monday evening.

    On Tuesday, McAfee said he would seek political asylum in Guatemala. "I have no plans much for the future now. The reason I chose Guatemala is two-fold," McAfee told Reuters by telephone from Guatemala's Supreme Court, flanked by his lawyer, former attorney general and lawyer Telesforo Guerra.

    "It is a country bordering Belize, it is a country that understands the corruption within Belize and most importantly, the former attorney general of the country is Samantha's uncle and I knew that he would assist us with legal proceedings."

    McAfee has denied involvement in the murder and told Reuters on Monday he would not turn himself in. He posted repeatedly on his blog while on the run, describing how he would constantly change his disguise to elude capture.

    Founder of McAfee security software John McAfee emerged from hiding in Guatemala where he plans to seek asylum. McAfee claims he is being persecuted by police in Belize where he is considered a person of interest in the killing of another American.

    On Tuesday, McAfee appeared with his hair and goatee dyed black, and wearing a dark suit and tie - a far cry from the surfer-style blonde hair highlights, shorts and tribal-tattooed bare shoulders he sported in Belize.

    "(Guerra) is now attempting to get political asylum for myself and for Sam. I don't think there will be much of a problem. From here I can speak freely and safely," McAfee said.

    Reporter's iPhone photo reveals John McAfee's location

    He was traveling with a photographer from Vice magazine, which revealed his location by posting a photo of the two together under the headline, “We are with John McAfee right now, suckers.”

    Reuters contributed to this report.

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  • Software guru John McAfee, suspected of murder, seeks asylum in Guatemala

    Founder of McAfee security software John McAfee emerged from hiding in Guatemala where he plans to seek asylum. McAfee claims he is being persecuted by police in Belize where he is considered a person of interest in the killing of another American.

    By NBC News staff and wire services

    U.S. anti-virus software guru John McAfee, who is on the run from police in Belize seeking to question him in a murder probe, has turned up in Guatemala City to ask for political asylum.


    He said he is being targeted by authorities in Belize because he refuses to give money to its government.   

    McAfee has been in hiding for three weeks since police in Belize said they wanted to question him as "a person of interest" about the murder of fellow American Gregory Faull, with whom McAfee had quarreled.

    McAfee smuggled himself and his girlfriend, who he calls Samantha, across the porous land border that Belize shares with Guatemala. He stayed at a hotel in a national park before heading for Guatemala City on Monday evening.

    "I have no plans much for the future now. The reason I chose Guatemala is two-fold," McAfee told Reuters by telephone from Guatemala's Supreme Court, flanked by his lawyer, former attorney general and lawyer Telesforo Guerra.

    "It is a country bordering Belize, it is a country that understands the corruption within Belize and most importantly, the former attorney general of the country is Samantha's uncle and I knew that he would assist us with legal proceedings."

    McAfee has denied involvement in the murder and told Reuters on Monday he would not turn himself in. He posted repeatedly on his blog while on the run, describing how he would constantly change his disguise to elude capture.

    He is traveling with a photographer from Vice magazine, which revealed his location by posting a photo of the two together under the headline, “We are with John McAfee right now, suckers.”

    In his latest blog post, McAfee wrote:

    I apologize for all of the misdirections over the past few days. It was not easy to exit Belize and required many supporters in many countries. I am in Guatemala and will be meeting with Guatemalan officials this morning. If all goes well I will do a press conference tomorrow.

    Vice Magazine reporters are indeed with me in Guatemala. Yesterday was chaotic due to the accidental release of my exact co-ordinates by an unseasoned technician at Vice headquarters.  We made it to safety in spite of this handicap. I had to cancel numerous interviews with the press yesterday because of this and I apologize to all of those affected.

    On Tuesday, McAfee appeared with his hair and goatee died black, and wearing a dark suit and tie - a far cry from the surfer-style blonde hair highlights, shorts and tribal-tattooed bare shoulders he sported in Belize.

    "(Guerra) is now attempting to get political asylum for myself and for Sam. I don't think there will be much of a problem. From here I can speak freely and safely," McAfee said.

    'Bonkers' 
    McAfee says he believes authorities in Belize would kill him if he turned himself in for questioning. Belize's prime minister has denied the claim and called the 67-year-old paranoid and "bonkers."

    On the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye, where McAfee has lived for about four years, residents say he is eccentric, impulsive, erratic and at times unstable, with a penchant for guns and young women.

    He would often be seen with armed bodyguards, pistols tucked into his belt, and McAfee's neighbor had complained about the loud barking of dogs that guarded his exclusive beachside compound.

    His run-in with authorities in Belize is a world away from a successful life in the United States, where he started McAfee Associates in 1989 and made millions of dollars developing the Internet anti-virus software that carries his name.

    There was already a case against McAfee in Belize for possession of illegal firearms, and police had previously raided his property on suspicion he was running a lab to make illegal synthetic narcotics.

    McAfee says he has been persecuted for refusing to donate money to politicians, that he loves Belize, and considers it his home. 

    Guatemala is a canny choice to seek refuge. It has long been embroiled in a territorial dispute with Belize. Guatemala claims the southern half of Belize and all of its islands, or cayes, rightfully belong to it. There is no extradition treaty between the two countries.

    A Guatemalan government source said there was "no reason" to detain McAfee because there was no legal case against him pending in the country.

    Harold Caballeros, Guatemala's foreign minister, said his government was unaware of any arrest warrant and would study McAfee's asylum request once presented, saying its success would "depend on the arguments."

    Guerra told Reuters McAfee would return to Belize once his situation in Guatemala was made legal, citing the fact he had crossed into the country illegally to avoid capture by police in Belize.

    "He can go to the United States, there is no problem with that," he added. "We have asked the U.S. embassy for support with our (asylum) request."

    He said the asylum request would be formally presented on Wednesday.

    The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City said in a statement McAfee would have to work within the country's legal framework, but declined to elaborate. "The embassy does not comment on the actions of American citizens, due to privacy considerations."

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  • On the run in Belize, computer security pioneer John McAfee says he didn't kill neighbor

    Stringer / Reuters

    Computer security industry pioneer John McAfee is seen speaking in San Pedro, Belize, on Thursday. McAfee told a Wired magazine reporter that he has gone into hiding in Belize because he believes authorities there are trying to frame him in the death of neighbor Gregory Faull.

    By NBC News staff and wire reports

    BELIZE CITY - Computer security industry pioneer John McAfee says he has gone into hiding in Belize because he believes authorities there are trying to frame him in the slaying of a neighbor, a crime he says he did not commit, according to Wired magazine.


    Belize police are searching for McAfee as "a person of interest" in a murder investigation.

    "You can say I'm paranoid about it, but they will kill me, there is no question. They've been trying to get me for months. They want to silence me," Wired quoted McAfee as saying on its website. "I am not well liked by the prime minister. I am just a thorn in everybody's side."

    The magazine reported that McAfee, 67, contacted one of its reporters by telephone after his neighbor Gregory Faull, was found dead on Sunday in a pool of blood. The 52-year-old American was apparently shot in the head.

    Police say McAfee had a history of conflict with Faull.

    According to Wired, Faull and other neighbors had been complaining about a half-dozen dogs that McAfee kept at his beachside compound. Wired reported that McAfee sent an email to a reporter Friday night saying his dogs had been poisoned that night and alleging that Belize authorities were responsible.

    The reporter said that he spoke to McAfee on Saturday morning and McAfee said he didn’t believe any of his neighbors would poison his dogs. Wired quoted McAfee speaking of Faull: “This is not something he would ever do. I mean, he’s an angry sort of guy but he would never hurt a dog.”

    Faull was found dead on Sunday with a gunshot wound to the back of his head.

    McAfee, who amassed a fortune by building the anti-virus company that bears his name, has homes and businesses in the Central American country.  Police say he has lived for at least two years, but Wired said he moved there in 2008.

    It was not the first time McAfee, who has tattoos, a goatee and moustache, and a penchant for guns, has drawn police attention.

    His premises were raided earlier this year after he was accused of holding firearms, though most were found to be licensed. The final outcome of the case is pending.

    He was also suspected of running a lab to make the synthetic drug crystal meth.

    Stringer / Reuters

    American businessman Gregory Faull, seen in August, was found dead at his homee in Belize.

    "He was suspected (of making crystal meth) but he was not convicted nor was he charged. He was only suspected," said Belize police spokesman Raphael Martinez.

    McAfee also owns a security company in Belize as well as several properties and an ecological enterprise.

    Reuters has been unable to reach McAfee, who police want to question.

    "It would be quite nice for him to come in and answer some of the questions that could lead to the closure of this case," Martinez said. "He is not wanted for murder, but he is wanted for questioning as a person of interest."

    The Belize police department has reached out to counterparts in neighboring Mexico and Guatemala, asking them to detain McAfee if he leaves Belize overland.

    McAfee was one of Silicon Valley's first entrepreneurs to amass a fortune by building a business off the Internet.

    The former Lockheed systems consultant started McAfee Associates in 1989, initially distributing anti-virus software as "shareware" on Internet bulletin boards.

    He took the company public in 1992 and left two years later following accusations that he had hyped the arrival of a virus known as Michelangelo, which turned out to be a dud, to scare computer users into buying his company's products.

    McAfee currently has no relationship with the software company, which has since been sold to Intel Corp.

    NBC News staff and Reuters contributed to this report.

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