While most of us have heard of the antivirus giant McAfee, who hasn’t bought a laptop or prebuilt home computer to find that it came installed as part of the OEM setup.
Unlike the stories we’ve heard of other plucky young entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs who are portrayed as having a vision to better the world and the drive to make it happen, the story of John McAfee is far more ‘real’.
Starting from the 60s he was a drunk and a drug abuser, regaling his friends and interviewers with stories of DMT trips, bags of cocaine, and slugging whiskey shots at his day job coding train schedules.
Viruses To the Rescue
In the 80s McAfee sobered up, and after a stint in Silicon Valley working for the likes of Lockheed and NASA’s Institute for Space Studies decided to strike out on his own. The reason for this decision? The burgeoning world of computers was hit with its first vicious virus, Brain, which attacked the boot sector.
Seeing an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a new industry he went on to form McAfee Associates which would make $5 million per year selling antivirus software to businesses and home users.
However, the big boost for McAfee antivirus came in 1992 when the Michelangelo virus hit the scene. Increased sales would exponentially increase the value of the company allowing him to exit in 1994 and sell his shares for over $100 million.
The Bitcoin-Powered Ghost Hotel
To avoid taking responsibility for tax evasion in the US McAfee fled to Spain where he would, unfortunately, pass away after having served only nine months for his crimes and receiving a release based on good behaviour.
Investigations into his time in Spain have found that the infamous tech-lover was still heavily invested in emerging technologies. What new technology has been more groundbreaking than the blockchain and of course Bitcoin.
Reports claim that McAfee had spent his time in what has been named the “Ghost Hotel” by the Spanish publication El Confidencial. Not because it is known to be haunted but because getting a booking at this supposedly “open” hotel is virtually impossible.
While officially the Daurada Park Hotel in Cambrils is open for business the phone is never answered, no new reservations can be made, and the last TripAdvisor review is in 2017.
Despite going dark locals reported that a “huge laser pointing at the sky” had been erected on the roof of the hotel and that there were definite signs of activity. When the police raided the villainous sounding hideout, they discovered it was now a front for a massive Bitcoin mining farm.
Sadly, at age 75, John McAfee would be found dead in his prison cell prior to his extradition to the US and while he is linked to the Ghost Hotel crypto-mining operation the true extent of his involvement and its true value went to the grave with him.
