John McAfee claims to be a politically persecuted person to stop his extradition


Extradition hearing of John McAfee.

Extradition hearing of John McAfee.
EFE

The billionaire John David McAfee, creator of the famous antivirus that bears his name, has alleged this Tuesday before the National audience being a political victim of the United States for his denunciations against the "corruption" of the tax agency of that country to stop his extradition.

In the hearing that was held this morning before the Second Section of the Criminal Chamber, the Prosecutor's office Spanish has reproached the version of the businessman and has requested his surrender for three tax crimes related to the years 2016, 2017 and 2018.

McAfee, who has testified from prison, has insisted that the charges brought against him are "purely political" and has asked the court "to be able to see the injustice of all this." "In case of being extradited, it is almost certain that I will spend the rest of my life in prison because USA he wants to use me as an example, "he said.

The employer has claimed to have paid "millions of dollars in taxes" while he was in charge of his companies, when - as he has said - he discovered that "there was a lot of corruption in the United States tax agency."

In the framework of his defense, he has remarked that after that discovery he sold his company and dedicated himself to politics because he considered that it was the way to "expel corruption" from the US Treasury. He has explained to the court that he joined the libertarian party and that he ran for president of the United States with the promise of "publish and expose the corruption of the tax agency" American.

"Pretended militancy"

The Public Ministry have dismissed McAfee's arguments and have warned the court that the billionaire has boasted of a candidacy that was not supported by the party and that he has "consciously" exaggerated "alleged political militancy." "He is a millionaire who does not want to pay taxes and in certain circumstances that is a crime", has settled the prosecutor.

His defense has insisted that it is "a political issue" and that "the only thing that the United States wants" is "make him a scapegoat"For those who want to follow his lead. The lawyer has assured that McAfee is" a genius ahead of his time "who has created a monetary system that attacks the current system, in reference to the cryptocurrency business he has." He is public enemy number. 1 ", he assured.

In addition, it has submitted a complaint to the Chamber because it considers that "rights have not been respected" de McAfee as a British citizen - he has dual citizenship - and has insisted that the UK should have been notified so that he could be tried there.

In the framework of its presentation, the defense has also criticized that despite the "chronic disease situation" and the advanced age of the businessman - he is 76 years old - has not yet been vaccinated. He has begged and implored "clemency" from the Chamber "so that the time that McAfee has left in Spain can be spent in freedom." "There is a catalog of alternative measures that has not been taken into consideration and we understand that in the case of a global figure, it is appropriate to agree to this request," he said.

Eight months in prison

The billionaire was arrested on October 3 by virtue of an international arrest warrant issued by the United States District Court of Tennesee. After appearing before the then head of the Central Court of Instruction number 5, José de la Mata, provisional prison was decreed.

The United States requested his extradition in November and the Council of Ministers agreed to continue with the file through the courts. In january McAfee refused to be turned over.

The justice of the North American country is pursuing him for five serious crimes of tax evasion that carry a prison sentence no more than five years per exercise, and five other minor offenses for failure to present the statement.

According to the basis of the extradition request, in 2014 the businessman had income from talks and events amounting to $ 90,000 And not only did he not make the declaration, but his earnings were transferred to a third person so as not to appear as a beneficiary and he bought a property that he also put in the name of another person.

In 2015 he obtained a profit of 100,000 dollars for talks and for transfer of rights to tell his life story; in 2016 he obtained 800,000 dollars that were paid to him by making transfers to third parties; and in 2017 it obtained was 1.25 million dollars, much of it in cryptocurrencies. The United States maintains that since McAfee understood that this digital currency could not be traced by the treasury because the payment was not nominal, he had that amount credited to an Ethereum wallet through ten transfers and then moved it to other wallets.

The Public Ministry has explained that in Spain not submitting the declaration is not a crime but an administrative offense and has agreed to request his extradition only for tax crimes related to tax exercises. 2016, 2017 and 2018.

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