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John McAfee Arrested in Spain on US Criminal Charges
John McAfee allegedly received $11.6 million in bitcoin and ether for pumping ICOs in 2017 and 2018.
By Danny Nelson
Updated Sep 14, 2021, 10:04 a.m. Published Oct 5, 2020, 8:21 p.m.
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John McAfee, the 74-year-old software magnate-turned-crypto-bull, has been arrested in Spain on allegations of tax evasion, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. His extradition to the U.S. is pending.
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- On Monday DOJ prosecutors unsealed a criminal indictment against McAfee, who faces charges of tax evasion and willful failure to file tax returns that could land him behind bars for over five years, if convicted.
- The announcement comes the same day the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued McAfee for allegedly pumping initial coin offerings (ICOs) without disclosing he was being paid to do so.
- McAfee allegedly received BTC and ETH worth more than $11.6 million for promoting seven ICOs in 2017 and 2018.
- He also allegedly received $11.5 million in the promoted tokens. The SEC does not name the projects in the suit.
- The SEC outlined the securities violations in a 55-page complaint filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
- According to the SEC, McAfee raised a total of $23.2 million from projects which raised a cumulative $41 million.
- “McAfee's extravagant posts (such as tweeting predictions about BTC price increases and promising to 'eat my d**k on national television' if such predictions did not pan out) … generated an enormous amount of publicity,” the SEC said in its complaint.
- The SEC is seeking civil penalties and an order prohibiting McAfee from serving as a public officer again in future.
- The SEC also sued McAfee's personal security guard, Jimmy Gale Watson, in the complaint.
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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
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- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
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Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold
Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.
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- During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
- Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
- Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.
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