# Is John McAfee bonkers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175 "2012-12-06T13:43:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/1 "2012-12-06T13:43:59Z")
The latest is he snuck out of Belize to Guatemala, and then was arrested by Guatemalan immigration authorities for illegally entering. He’s applying for asylum. Is he bonkers? Is Belize really corrupt? Both? Other? Here is the latest article I’ve read about it: [John McAfee Returned to Guatemala Detention Center After Hospitalization - ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/International/guatemala-deport-john-mcafee-back-belize/story?id=17890926#.UMCg0YPAdcl) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/2 "2012-12-06T13:48:11Z")
All we have is the various interviews and reports, but allowing for bias and sensationalism, I’d say yes, J-Mac is a loon. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/3 "2012-12-06T14:11:31Z")
He might have some sort of viral infection. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/4 "2012-12-06T14:14:14Z")
Can’t say for sure, the whole thing seems sketchy in the extreme though. However, he is doing himself no favours giving interviews. He comes off nuttier than a Mars bar! If he’s got any money left he should be hiring a publicist and a lawyer to do is talking for him. Quickly. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/5 "2012-12-06T14:25:13Z")
Apparently he has at least six girlfriends, so he’s got money. He’s lost a lot of his wealth, but still has more than he can spend. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/6 "2012-12-06T15:22:40Z")
From his public statements that I’ve heard, he’s either mentally ill or he’s faking it in an attempt to set himself up with an eventual insanity defense. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/7 "2012-12-06T17:00:32Z")
There’s always the drugs he said he took for forever. I’m guessing a psychotic break due to stress + drug damage to the brain, or something similar - he is obviously not right in the head at the moment. I’m sure Belizian cops aren’t the nicest people on the planet, but I don’t think they’d go out of their way to torture and murder a prominent American citizen living in their country. I do feel bad for him - almost wish that Guatemala would keep him for a while, or ship him off to America for “protective” mental health custody to figure out what’s gone wonky with him. If he’s not nutso, it’s not like we can’t send him right back to Belize. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/8 "2012-12-06T17:20:06Z")
The murder of his neighbor, whom he wasn’t friendly with, and whom allegedly poisoned his dogs and McAfee’s subsequent flight make him highly suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/9 "2012-12-06T18:33:39Z")
How ever he got there is of no concern, but yes, BONKERS. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/10 "2012-12-06T19:17:33Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > The murder of his neighbor, whom he wasn’t friendly with, and whom allegedly poisoned his dogs and McAfee’s subsequent flight make him highly suspicious. And the guns and the drugs. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/11 "2012-12-06T19:27:06Z")
Of course Belize is corrupt. Look up Lord Ashcroft. Which is not to say that’s in any way related to John McAee, though. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/12 "2012-12-06T20:22:56Z")
[ul] [li]A billionaire expat former software mogul/yoga expert[/li][li]A pair of obnoxious dogs[/li][li]A murdered neighbor[/li][li]A raid by the Gang Suppression Unit[/li][li]A flight across international borders including hair color changes[/li][li]A body double with a North Korean passport[/li][/ul] This story has all the hallmarks of either another shitty sequel to [_The Fugitive_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106977/) or an outstanding game of [_Fiasco_](http://www.bullypulpitgames.com/games/fiasco/). It all depends on whether Colin Farrell will lower his price enough to play Séamus O’Gerard, the An Garda Síochána agent seconded to Interpol who is incidentally second cousin to Tommy Lee Jones’ US Marshall. As to why an Irish peace officer would be chasing a fugitive from Guatemala…you’ll have to watch the movie. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/13 "2012-12-06T20:45:00Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > [ul] > [li]A billionaire expat former software mogul/yoga expert[/li][li]A pair of obnoxious dogs[/li][li]A murdered neighbor[/li][li]A raid by the Gang Suppression Unit[/li][li]A flight across international borders including hair color changes[/li][li]A body double with a North Korean passport[/li][/ul] I love how “A pair of obnoxious dogs” is included in this list. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/14 "2012-12-07T17:15:01Z")
IIRC, one of his reasons for going there in the first place was the ability to make and use recreational drugs. That can’t help his mental situation. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/15 "2012-12-07T17:52:16Z")
Update: apparently he has suffered a heart attack, a mild one… > **[John McAfee Returned to Guatemala Detention Center After Hospitalization](https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/john-mcafee-suffers-heart-attack-guatemala-detention-center/story?id=17890926)** > > Two ambulances have arrived at the detention center in Guatemala City where software millionaire John McAfee is being held after McAfee suffered a possible heart attack. ETA: In reading the article, it says he may have just collapsed and hit his head and his chest pains may be related to not eating or something… > [@](#): > > Earlier today, McAfee had complained of chest pains, raising concerns he might be having a heart attack. > > However, that did not appear to be the case. Hours after his emergency, hospital officials sent McAfee back to the detention center, telling ABC News they found no reason to keep him overnight. > > In a phone interview overnight, McAfee told ABC News, “I simply passed out, everything went black.” > > He said he hit his head on the floor when he collapsed. McAfee explained that for the past 48 hours he hasn’t eaten and had very little to drink. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/16 "2012-12-07T18:11:00Z")
Cut off from his drugs, he may be suffering withdrawal. He kinda looks and sounds like some of the homeless guys around here. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/17 "2012-12-09T00:54:46Z")
Guatemala says they will send him back to Belize, according to the latest news I read (to be sure, a couple days ago, since I’m not really following this story). One of the more perspicacious commenters asked: > [@HULK](#): > > McAfee founder wanted for murder. Does this mean he gets a 30 day trial too? ( [Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](http://news.yahoo.com/software-guru-mcafee-says-seek-asylum-guatemala-001313538--finance.html) ) Oh, wait. Upon a bit of googling (to find the above cite), I learn that the Net is awash with 30-day trial jokes. [Social News Daily](http://socialnewsdaily.com/5801/mcafee-arrest-fuels-twitter-with-30-day-trial-jokes/) ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/18 "2012-12-09T01:37:05Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > … he has at least six girlfriends… That’s one expensive hobby. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-john-mcafee-bonkers/643175/19 "2012-12-10T02:32:25Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He might have some sort of viral infection. Apparently he let his anti-virus subscription lapse.