John McAfee, computer programmer and founder of the antivirus software company McAfee Associates, criticized the Internal Revenue Service in a
McAfee also compared the IRS to the Nazi SS, tweeting: “I'm challenging the agency responsible for fueling our Government's madness - the IRS. The IRS will not sit idly by. I know this. But i have prepared my entire life for this battle. We will not be able to shrug off the yoke of this corrupt and insane government without a struggle.”
In another tweet divulging he hadn’t paid taxes for eight years, McAfee continued, “Why? 1: taxation is illegal. 2: I paid tens of millions already and received Jack S*** in services. 3. I'm done making money. I live off of cash from McAfee Inc. My net income is negative. But i am a prime target for the IRS. Here I am.”
McAfee founded the antivirus company in 1987 and resigned from it in 1994. He reportedly made $100 million when he then sold his shares in the company, which was later purchased by Intel in 2011. While McAfee’s fortune was hit by the recession, he has gone on to found other tech companies. He also pursued the Libertarian Party nomination for the President of the United States in the 2016 election, losing to former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson.
McAfee has became a vocal cryptocurrency advocate. “My Crypto goals drive the IRS mad,” McAfee tweeted last Thursday. “Privacy coins will obsolete income taxes. Can't tax money you can’t see, and I promote this as a good thing. The SEC is legally failing in their power grab so It's up to the IRS now to silence me. I've called them out. They will come. You'll see.”
He explained in subsequent tweets that he has never “transacted using privacy coins” and that he and his team have only used "trackable" coins, making his finances “open and visible.”
“The IRS never bothered to audit me, in spite of years of not filing. Why? Because an audit would have uncovered nothing irregular and charges would be impossible. Instead they can now assume and concoct whatever story suits them. This is the hallmark of corruption,” he tweeted.
