John McAfee is a wealthy US investor who has retired in Belize and splits his time between homes in San Pedro and Orange Walk.

You may know has name from the McAfee Virus Scan, one of the first anti-virus programs for personal computers.

But neither his famous name nor his status as a wealthy investor spared the 66 year old from the indignity of an aggressive GSU search of his Orange Walk Estate on Monday morning.

The estate is just right of the Tower Hill Toll Bridge at the entrance to Orange Walk.

The search started at 6:00 am - and he says the first thing the GSU did was shoot and kill one of his dogs, Caramelo. After that, he says they broke down doors and ransacked the nine houses on the estate.

The unit was looking for weapons - and McAfee had plenty of them: 7 shotguns and two nine millimeter pistols - which he says are licensed to his personal security company. But, it didn't matter, McAfee says he and 12 employees were still handcuffed for an extended period.

He was brought in those handcuffs to Belize City and released on Tuesday at 2:00 am - without any charge being brought against him. After his 14-hour ordeal, he told us via phone from San Pedro about it:

John McaFee - Raided by GSU (Via Telephone)
"At 6 o'clock in the morning, the GSU - I think the entire contingent - and a number of BDF soldiers - a total of 65 in all - surrounded the compound, burst through the gates, and put all of us in handcuffs. They said that they had a warrant to search the premises. I remained in handcuffs for 14 hours, outside the whole time, without food. None of us had food. There were about 12 people who were handcuffed which included a number of women, and BDF broke down doors, confiscated property - including my American passport - and at the end of the day, they charged me with a firearm violation. The GSU was brutal and uncooperative. They broke down doors; they completely ransacked many of the houses on the compound. Items are missing. I am sorry; this is unacceptable in a country that is supposed to be civilized in a democracy. I have donated to the police department alone, over 2 million dollars' worth of goods in the past 2 years. I have done a tremendous amount of work to clean up Carmelita, to provide food for school children - any number of things. And to be treated this way, after I have acted in such a fashion, makes me think twice about investing anything else here."

And while he is accusing the GSU, that unit is making no apologies - in fact they are pointing the finger right back at him.

The GSU this evening sent a lengthy release addressing the situation. It says that the search was a joint operation along with the Belize Special Assignment Group and BDF.

The release says that upon arrival, the GSU announced its presence and purpose to search for drugs and illegal firearms.

Simultaneously the houses on the premises were cleared, one of which was serving as a laboratory. Present on the premises at the time were John McAfee, his girlfriend who is a 17 year old Belizean minor, and five security guards.

During the search ten firearms - seven 12 gauge pump action shotguns, one 12 gauge single action shotgun, one Taurus 9mm pistol and one 9MM CZ pistol - were found. Five air rifles with scopes resembling sniper rifles that use 6.26 mm slugs were also found and two hundred and seventy 12 gauge cartridges, thirty 9 mm rounds and twenty .38 rounds.

All these firearms and rounds of ammunition were scattered over the premises including inside the vehicles and houses that were unoccupied.

The GSU says, McAfee produced a Company firearm licence for all the above firearms except one of the 9 MilliMeter pistols.

Checks were then made with the senior officer with responsibility for firearms and explosives at Belmopan Police Headquarters who verified that no records appeared for a firearms licence for that firearm to McAfee.

Still, the GSU says McAfee was later released after producing a license for the firearm to the Police. It is still under investigation as no such licence has yet been found in the records at Police Headquarters

Additionally, analysts at the Forensic Laboratory, and personnel from the Ministry of Health were taken to inspect the facility and samples of an alleged antibiotic apparently being manufactured at the Laboratory were taken for analysis. The Ministry of Health has already confirmed that no licence has been granted to McAFEE or any of his agents to manufacture antibiotics in Belize. Doing so without a licence is an offence under the Antibiotics Act. A decision as to whether or not charges will be laid will be taken by the Ministry within the next few days when the report of the Forensic Analyst becomes available.

Investigation regarding the employment of the security guards revealed that only two out of the four guards are licensed to act as Security Guards.

And there are charges; MICHAEL, ALLEN and DOMINGUEZ were arrested and charged for "providing security services without a license".

The GSU says McAFEE did have $19,650.00 in cash in his bedroom and say it was counted and secured by him.

As for the dogs, the GSU says during the operation, three of eleven dogs attacked and bit one of the GSU officers on his right thigh and the same dog - presumably Caramelo - proceeded to attack a BDF soldier who responded and shot the dog.

The GSU adds that 2 months ago, a Special Police team attempted to conduct a similar search on McAFEE's premises but were prevented from doing so.

The unit says the search at McAFEE's premises was based solely on information about supposed illegal activities being conducted there. McAfee says it was to settle a political vendetta from a politician whom he would not give a donation to.

Channel 7

Antivirus Founder, John McAfee, says politics caused GSU raid

John McAfee is the founder of McAfee Antivirus has been a philanthropist and investor in Belize. How rich is McAfee? We’re not sure, but rich enough to donate a vessel worth one point two million dollars to the Belize Coastguard in January 2009. McAfee lives in Belize and he says that he has become a target of the Gang Suppression Unit. He says the GSU came busting into his research facility in Orange Walk, killed his dog, took his passport, handcuffed him and arrested him on a bogus weapons charge. McAfee says he’s a victim because he didn’t donate money to a known U.D.P. Orange Walk politician.

John McAfee, Claims False Imprisonment by GSU

“On Monday at six o’clock, I was awakened by the sound of a bullhorn, a megaphone. I went outside and saw about thirty GSU in full uniform, full dressed, automatic weapons, storming through the property and drive way. I went back inside, got some clothes on, I came out. I was told to put up my hands up against the wall as was eleven other people on the compound. We had about eleven people present at the time—five of them were women. I was told that they had a warrant to search property. They began, with sledge hammers, to break the doors of the buildings—none of them were locked, but they just went and broke them in any case. I was merely watching this. They confiscated my passport, all of the weapons we used for security on the compound, handcuffed me and everyone and for fourteen hours outside in the sun, I sat handcuffed without food or water. We got water around noon. At three o’clock we asked for food. We were told by the GSU, do we look like cooks to you. They murdered my dog in cold blood. That was the thing I think—it was a warning to us that this is serious; don’t mess with us. They threw things around, they stole things—it was unbelievable, unimaginable for a country that was supposedly a democratic country. I was arrested on a bogus charge of having an illegal firearm—a firearm without a license. At the very beginning of the day, one of the GSU soldiers, one of the GSU officers, took all of my firearm licenses and put them in his vest. When he took them out to check the firearms, this one was missing. They charged me for having a firearm without a license; took me to Belize City. Fortunately we had copies. We showed up later at the police station with the copies. Even then it was difficult to get out. I had to get the intervention of the American embassy to get released. By the time I got to Belize, it was sixteen hours. I slept until two a.m. on a concrete floor at the Queen’s Street Police Station until the embassy finally convinced someone to release me. They confiscated my passport and claimed they didn’t have it. The entire day was an incredible nightmare. This is clearly a military dictatorship where people are allowed to go and harass citizens based on rumor alone and treat them as if they are guilty before any evidence whatsoever is obtained. It is astonishing, it is beyond belief and I intended not to let this stand. I will not stand idly by to let this happen to me. I promise you. It began, innocently enough, with my refusal to donate to the local political boss of the district where I lvied in Orange Walk and I have given at least two million dollars in gifts to the police departments in Orange Walk, San Pedro, Belize City, to the village of Carmelita, the City of Orange Walk. I have started programs to feed children, I’ve helped mothers whose husbands have simply disappeared. I am an old man, I am sixty-six. I have a fair amount of money and not much to do. So I spend it where I think it will do go. And I don’t ever invest in politics. I don’t donate to any political party; I don’t have any political affiliations. I think politics is foolish for a private citizen like myself to engage in—the winning party; you never get your money and the losing party; your on the outs. So I do not. And I refused to donate and the gentleman expected you know, I’ve given a million dollars to the police department, so he should get a huge chunk and he got nothing. Immediately after that, he began—not personality but his aids—began a campaign of calling to the local radio stations on Saturday morning talk shows saying the same thing; “What are we going to do about the white man at the toll bridge? He has all of these security guards. He’s probably involved in illegal activities. Everybody is complaining about him.” Nothing could be further from the truth. That politician by the way did not get reelected.”

 

McAfee says he’s seeking legal advice.

Channel 5

GSU says McAfee’s research facility had unlicensed weapons

The GSU has sent its own press release about the bust at McAfee’s residence. According to the release, a joint operation between the GSU, the B.D.F. and the Belize Special Assignments Group (B-SAG) also an arm of the police department conducted a search on the premises of John McAfee, at Tower Hill, Orange Walk District. And a string of illegal activities seem to have been happening.

The property, the site of Belize Ecological Foundation Ltd, consists of nine houses, a shed, a freight container and a warehouse, all enclosed by a perimeter fence with two guard huts at the entrance. According to the GSU, it announced its presence and purpose was to search for drugs and illegal firearms. Two armed guards were observed on the compound, and upon directive immediately surrendered. Simultaneously the houses on the premises were cleared, one of which was serving as a laboratory. Present on the premises at the time were John McAfee, his girlfriend who is a seventeen year old Belizean minor, five security guards. During the search ten firearms—seven, twelve gauge pump action shotguns; one, twelve gauge single action shotgun; one Taurus nine millimetre pistol and one, nine millimetre CZ pistol were found. Five air rifles with scopes resembling sniper rifles that use six point two six millimetre slugs were also found and two hundred and seventy twelve gauge cartridges. Additionally, thirty nine millimetre rounds and twenty point thirty-eight rounds were also taken. According to the GSU, McAfee produced a company firearm licence for all the above firearms except the single action that is licensed to Tyron Morales and the nine millimetre CZ pistol.

Analysts at the Forensic Laboratory, and personnel from the Ministry of Health were taken to inspect the facility and samples of an alleged antibiotic apparently being manufactured at the Laboratory were also taken for analysis. The Ministry of Health has already confirmed that no licence has been granted to McAfee or any of his agents to manufacture antibiotics in Belize. Doing so without a licence is an offence under the Antibiotics Act.

Further investigation led into a query regarding the employment of the security guards. This revealed that only two of the four guards on the premises were licensed to act as security guards.

And in regards to the fatally wounded man’s best friend, the GSU says that three of the eleven dogs on the premises attacked and bit one of the officers on his right thigh. The same dog then attacked a B.D.F. soldier who responded by fatally wounded the dog.

At the end of the search, three of the security guards were arrested and charged for “Providing Security Services without a License”. While McAfee, who was initially detained and charged for the offences of Kept Unlicensed Firearm and Ammunition, was later released. This aspect is still under investigation as no such licence has yet been found in the records at Police Headquarters.

Channel 5

McAfee said he contacted National Security Minister to prevent dispute

The estate of the founder of McAfee Antivirus and investor, John McAfee was busted by GSU earlier this week. Sixty-six year old McAfee has been living in Belize for some time now in Orange Walk town and claims that he has been politically victimized. This further led to a GSU raid on Labor Day this past Tuesday which has emotionally shook the philanthropist who has given millions in kind to various government departments, NGOs and the community. In the process of the raid at his research facility near Tower Hill, one of his thirteen dogs was killed, his passport confiscated and everyone on the compound—including McAfee—handcuffed for fourteen hours. The philanthropist says the raid was as a result of him refusing financial support of an Orange Walk politician who lost in the General Elections. According to McAfee, in anticipation that something like this would have happened, he attempted to contact the Minister of National Security three weeks ago, but to no avail. And now he hopes that the minister would finally get in contact with him.

John McAfee, Philanthropist

“I attempted to reach Mister Saldivar, the Minister of National Security on six different occasions. He did not return a single phone call, neither did his secretary—which as a last resort, I tried to reach him through his secretary. I sent him a text saying Mister Saldivar it is urgent that I speak to you. He did not respond. He is a member of the same party that was slighted by my refusal to donate. So this is astonishing too; the Minister of National Security. And I was going by to meet with him anyways—I would with any new minister just out of courtesy. I am a foreign citizen in this country; I want to meet the minister to let them know I am here if I can help in any way, hello, goodbye, whatever. It’s just politeness. He refused to respond to my phone calls, to give me an appointment to meet him or in any way to talk to him. And this was three weeks prior to this event that I was trying to reach Mister Saldivar. So Mister Saldivar, please would you call me now?”

Channel 7

Last night you heard the story of 66 year old John McAfee whose residence by the Toll Bridge was ransacked in what he calls an unjustifiable raid by the GSU.  While McAfee is claiming that the GSU used unnecessary force and their actions were unprofessional, the GSU sent out a press release yesterday evening justifying their actions and the level of force used.

Today, the Head of Security at McAfee’s residence says otherwise. According to Emerson Michael, the GSU used excessive force on the security guards and watch dogs.

Emerson Michael, Head of Security

“First of all it was not a nice experience because the GSU were the one who woke us up from our bed with all noise and all the commotion which was really uncalled for. They started by cutting the fence- cutting the wire on the fence and the gate was right there. My security had opened the gate. They cut the wire and stormed in and break down all the doors which really was not professional. It wasn’t justified at all. The breaking down of the doors was not necessary. It was uncalled for.”

In the press release issued out by the Gang Suppression Unit, they state and we quote, “Investigations regarding the employment of the security guards revealed that only two out of the four guards are licensed to act as Security Guards.” End quote. But according to Michael, one of the individuals in question is presently training to be a security guard and the other individual is a maintenance worker.

Emerson Michael, Head of Security

“That’s what they are claiming but one of the officers is not a security guard. He is on training. On training to be a security you can’t possess a security licence. You are on training you are not a security guard. We don’t hire security guard just to hire security guard. We train them. We want professional so we train them. So this fellow is on training. The other guy is maintenance- or he does maintenance around the yard. Even though you do maintenance around the yard everybody that works there have a uniform and equipment. IE taser, baton, handcuff but they are not security guards. One is maintenance officer and one is on training. Training to be a security guard so there is no way we could get licence for him. He is not a security guard as yet.”

And so the question arises - Why does McAfee need so many security guards?  Well according to general manager of the McAfee estate Noel Codd, the answer is a simple, because he can.

Noel Codd, General Manager

“Well this person is a famous person, a multi millionaire. He has the finance. He can afford it. At the same time he gives people jobs you know. We are not using the government, the police force for protection like some individuals like a couple of months ago when they had the incident with Mr. Urbina. After that they had our tax payer’s money working for them when they had the police officer guarding him and for election he had a special branch for him all the while. Mr. McAfee doesn’t need that. He can afford his own and that’s why he does it.”

During the search on Monday, the GSU claim to have discovered a laboratory which they are alleging is being used to manufacture antibiotics without a licence from the Ministry of Health.  But according to Codd, that laboratory has been closed for over a year now and is presently being used to manufacture coffee.

Noel Codd, General Manager

“That’s a lab that has been closed for over a year now. We had a researcher who came with a proposal for a business and Mr. McAfee as a business man always you know finance and stuff. This medicine that they are talking about is a natural- is from natural plants around in the area especially the Bullet Tree. They extract it and use the chemical from that and they make this anti biotic used for cuts, scrapes, fly bites and stuff like that. But it was closed and that’s the reason part of it is used for the coffee factory.”

Hipolito Novelo, Reporter

“What coffer factory?

 Noel Codd, General Manager

“The coffee factory that we have. We produce coffee, manufacture coffee and send them out to San Pedro where we have the restaurant and stuff.”

John McAfee, Philanthropist

“I have over 80 employees in this country that we are playing social security for and my various establishments. They are all Belizeans. I have not hired a single American because I think to invest in a country you must invest in the people. I have donated in the past year along over a million dollars to various police departments. Not in money but in terms of equipments. Every officer in Orange Walk has new boots. Why? Because I purchase it for them. I was stopped at a check point about ten months ago and I saw an officer with tape around his boots, standing all day long. I bought them all new boots. I bought them stunned guns, pepper sprays, utility belts, camel backs. They are water packs for their backs. I built a police station for them in Carmelita which has not been accepted because the UDP believe that they would get a black eye by accepting that donation from me. It a beautiful police station: two jail cells, fully furnished with a vehicle that I donated. And they so far have not accepted it, which is fine with me. I’ll turn it into the housing for the poor. But it’s a ridiculous system that’s here, totally ridiculous.”

 McAfee reiterated to us today that if the matter should go any further then it would be through the courts.

CTV3

John McAfee fears GSU detention again

American businessman John McAfee could be headed for more problems with Belizean law enforcement authorities. The Gang Suppression Unit of the police department raided McAfee’s compound near the Toll Bridge in Orange walk on Monday morning and is reported to have detained the sixty six year old businessman for multiple hours in handcuffs. McAfee was eventually released; but police say that he did not have a license for one of the nine millimeter pistols. McAfee has produced a copy of the license in question, duly issued on December twenty eight of last year.

But even as his attorneys are now working to try and untangle the legal conundrum in which the retirned businessman finds himself, Love News understands that he was today anticipating fresh charges, related to his ownership of the company to which the license was issued for the cache of firearms found at his compound in orange Walk during the early morning raid on Monday. The name of the company is Belize Ecological Foundation Limited. McAfee says he is the owner and a director of the company that was first registered in 2008. Yearly filings have been done since, as is legally required at the Office of Corporate Affairs at the Belize Company’s Register.

Now a peculiar situation has apparently arisen where for some unexplained reasons, McAfee says his name does not appear on any of the hard copies of the records at the Company Registry. But when a search was done in the electronic database, McAfee says that his name turned up as the owner and a director of Belize Ecological Foundation Limited. So the question McAfee is now left asking is whether or not the hard copies were altered to reflect the name of a close friend of his as the owner and director of the company and not himself in an effort to frame him. It is a serious allegation and as we have reported, McAfee is fearful that faulty or tampered documents will be used to throw in jail again.

The businessman’s lawyer is now working on the issue and with the hope of figuring out a solution to the impasse so that McAfee can resume his normal routines again. A request for information from the Police Press Officer regarding the McAfee case had so far gone unanswered.

LOVETV

I see no one is touching this subject and I have to wonder why. I have met John only once and therefore cannot be considered a friend but I have to ask a few questions. If this sort of treatment can be meted out to someone like John what can happen to we ordinary folks.
Why were fences cut when there was a gate that could be opened?
Why were doors broken down when they were not locked?
Why was everyone kept in handcuffs in the sun without food?
Why was a dog shot instead of subdued– maybe knocked unconscious.
I hear politicians grumbling about crime being a deterrent to tourism. REALLY – Police harassment is not.
This sounds more like Mexico to me. And why isn’t anyone addressing this
(sorry my question mark key doesn't work - thankfully spell check helps but is not perfect.)

Apparently, McAfee maintains it is politically motivated.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/05/04/mcafee_busted_belize/

This makes me think twice about visiting foreign countries!

Front page news in the New York Times today.

Even Faux "News" covered it!

This story is spreading like a wild fire in all the news.

I Just saw it in the German News.

Just heard through the General manager of a hotel here in Singapore, that a MAJOR S.E. Asia based hotel chain (over 100 five star hotels in over 20 countries) has decided to shelve all plans to send a team to Belize to investigate starting operations there. Seems that the country is not that friendly to people with lots of money, and this is the demographic that the hotel most wants to attract.
Strange timing for such a decision no?

Hey, it could have been worse. At least he did not die while in police custody.

Oh come on.

Yeah, what coffee? Where on SP? I want some! It might have anti-viral properties...

and with respect to how a police SWAT Team enters a suspect compound, you dont walk in the gate ("Oh Hi, we're here and by the way we'd like to conduct a search for drugs..."), your primary concern is not about the "comfort" of suspects in custody, and you protect yourself when an animal poses a threat...sorry if that offends more tender sensibilities but a tactical entrance is just that, tactical, and characterized by certain methods. It's not like these kinds of entrances havent happened in the US with similar results when it comes to the response to an animal attack. Also I doubt seriously the officers involved were individually briefed as to the real reasons for, or behind, the raid. I'm sure the rank and file of the force acted as if they were entering an area which posed potential mortal threat to enforce a search warrant.

as to WHY the Belizean version of a SWAT Team entered the compound I think its bullshit...what also perplexes me is that the official in question did not get re-elected, so who had the juice and the motivation to pull the strings? and why post election?





exactly Diane

My position on this is not to justify the police actions or to assume the innocents of McAfee, but to hope that some level of government, other than the police, will investigate this to determine if appropriate actions were taken. The reported facts that only one firearm license was not available but produced later and no other violations were found would bring into question the level of force used. And for the importance of reporting all the facts as they impact the tourism industry, it needs to be fully investigated.

Exactly, but I would focus first on the origins of the command rather than the actions of the police themselves.



I support what youve said leading up to this bW, however, when dealing with the atmosphere and circumstances surrounding drugs in this day and age, you cannot know ahead of time what youre dealing with. I believe someone mentioned sounds like Mexico? If I'm told I'm going into a secured compound possibly involving drugs I'm going in with worst case in mind, regardless of persons involved. I'm sure if you consider that you will find your comment about questioning the level of force to be non sequitur...hindsight is perfect.

Don't Stop The Carnival- version 2.5

You mistakenly suggest my comments to be non sequitur. I am not coming to any conclusions based on any premise. I am only suggesting that based on the severity of the accusations, i.e. excessive force and political corruption on one side and criminal activity on the other, that an investigation to determine the facts is necessary. It is not good for the image of Belize to have these allegations made without confirming their validity.

I'm simply saying bW that a police force tasked to provide support of a warrant acts under the information and circumstances provided, you can't assume anything and therefore you prepare for the worst.

You questioned their use of force as inappropriate based on what they found...How could they know they would only be entering a compound where a single firearm license would be missing? or that a few of staffwere not licensed to provde security? The actions and methods were premised on a warrant issued for general search of property for illegal activities and quite possiby involving drugs...your criticism of their level of force is based on evidence after the fact.

As such your criticism of level of force used makes no sense, hence non sequitur... the argument is fallacious because there is a disconnection between the premise and the conclusion.

Now if you want to argue that the police force knew ahead of time it was a BS raid thats another matter...

Your interpretation of my comments are non substantificatur. I am not coming to any conclusions only suggesting that an investigation is appropriate to determine what conclusions should be made.
There are allegations from both sides that are unsubstantiated by any facts at this time.
PS: maybe we should limit our use of Latin so as others like Elbert and Jesse, just to name two, can better understand our comments.

bywarren,

Trying not to wallow in my ignorance I did a google search and took a trip to dictionary.com and failed to turn up "non substantificatur"

please enlighten me.

Latin for Not substantiated.

thanks

I knew that.

And Bears use of "non sequitur" is Latin for an argument in which its conclusion does not follow from its premises.
And I knew you knew it Ernie. That is why I did not include you with Elbert and Jesse.
And my apologies to Elbert and Jesse if you intellectus haec verba.

Gracisios, thats latun for ..................... something.

I know you meant gratias, Latin for thank you. We are off subject here, blame it on Bear he started it, but it is interesting that Latin America is so named because the languages spoken are derived form Latin.
Anyway, to get back on track, I hope there is more reporting on the outcome of this. It seems like in too many cases an incident is reported and then there is no follow up reporting on the outcome. I confess to not watching all of the news in Belize, but I don't recall seeing any follow up reporting on incidences like the boat accidents involving swimming tourists or the tourists swept to sea while snorkeling just to mention two. If I did miss this, let me know.

If you ever visit San Pedro, try to stop at Sailway, they have excellent Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino. And then just ask them where they get the coffee from.

Does McAfee still have his spread on north AC?

Bywarren, whats wrong with my English? I know a lot about English. Contractions aren't necessary,don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary;its highly superfluous,one word sentences. Eliminate!,prepositions are not words to end sentences with.

Latin Elbert, not English, is the language in question.
Comprehendere?

I know very little about how this works in Belize but my two questions in this would be. Was in fact a warrant issued to enter and search the compound and was it a no knock type warrant? Second, it there was a warrant or legal basis and I hope there was, just what was the justification and who authorized it?

From the above information with a little common sense you may be able to judge if the whole action was appropriate and I would like to think that everyone involved acted appropriately.

Exactly, Ragman. This is what I hope will be investigated and reported.

no knock type warrant? What country are we in?

Elbert: do you, or anyone else know, if Belize differenciates between a no knock and a knock and announce type warrant.

Warren no such thing here. You can get a warrant to search for drugs and weapons based on suspicion. In my view this raid was triggered by his previous refusal to allow them to enter his compound and look. So they came back with a warrant to search a place loaded with guns and dogs and so brought sufficient force so they would not be turned away as before. Had he not previously refused to cooperate when they wanted in he would have been treated differently, I think. Not good to [#%!] off the police for no reason.

My understanding is that the police in Belize are not required to have a warrant to search your home or property. If the raid was authorized and based on rumors alone, that would be quite frightening.....

Thanks for that info Mike. Do you know what happens in a case when the police conduct such a raid and cause damage when no illegality was found? I am speaking hypothetically as not all the facts are known in this case. Is the affected person entitled to any recourse or do they just get a statement "Whoops, our mistake, sorry".

I doubt they would be willing to admit to a mistake ever and I would expect it to be very difficult to be compensated for any damages incidental to the warranted search. No warrant would be different. If falsely imprisoned you can get compensated. If he has stuff stolen he should report that and focus on that. In my view the raid was probably clean. I had a pit bull attack me and my dog the other day and if I could I would have dropped it but managed to stomp it some and it went away, twisted my ankle though.

Nominated and Voted "Most Appropriate Response (in any language)"....

I don't know what type of warrant if any was executed for the raid; but by description of what Bear refers to as the tactical aspects of the execution, it was definitely a 'no knock'.

Its tiring for me when people compare the US with Belize if ever there was an Apple and an Orange. US folks get all puffy and outraged by thinking what would it be like if this or that was done in the US. Its refreshing to live in a place where the police don't have to be so delicate about violating someone rights that they can't do a good job.
The man had an arsenal. We have strict gun controls and who the hell hunts in Belize. We don't shoot our animals in Belize, we show them to tourist.
stock pile weapons and expect your door to get kicked in and be arrested with no apologies for stepping on your civil liberties.

I say old chap, excuse us, I know we're here a bit early for the factory fresh coffee but would you mind terribly if we had a look around? Drugs, illegal activities, biological agents, exploding underwear factories eh what? Oh I do say!...you might want to have that dog let go of my sargeant major's personal extremities, it might go badly otherwise...

"mea culpa mea culpa mea maxima culpa..." "Fruitcakes" by Jimmy Buffet

Elbert, we don't know the facts at this time, but Belize news reports indicate 'the arsenal' was licensed, albeit, perhaps, for one hand gun, and that is questionable as to veracity on each side. I am not taking a position as to propriety by any parties, however your comment that "Its [sic] refreshing to live in a place where the police don't have to be so delicate about violating someone rights that they can't do a good job." is really scary. Yikes. What is a 'stockpile' of weapons? Is it in your estimation not a stockpile when government amasses weaponry to be indelicately, or not, used against people legally residing in the country, and a scourge that a private individual may have what may be considered an appropriate ratio of firearm protection per security personnel? Its highly unlikely that Mr. McAfee or his staff hunt Belize wildlife with an allegedly non-licensed hand gun. I agree with bywarren that this incident should be properly investigated and reported upon to alleviate and mitigate any further negative press, as all of the facts are not yet revealed.

iluvbelize: Elbert’s words might be “really scary”, but they speak volumes to his rational and intelligence.

Agreed BW, Elbert's words speak volumes ad infinitum.

My sources in the MAJOR S.E. Asia based Hotel chain have indicated to me that all the money that they had planned for Belize was spent on Hookers, drugs and day trading. Therefore the project had to be shelved until more money could be found.

I will keep you all posted.

Perhaps the Major SE Asia based Hotel chain executives have partnered with the Obama Administration and its "Secret Service" detail and we'll soon see the results of that once another US taxpayer funded 'bailout' is announced. Or, not. Nothing surprises me these days.

UGLY H8R!!!!!!!

SP Daily: "UGLY H8R!!!!!!!"

Jesse it appears that an angry disgruntled junior high school girl has taken control of your texting machine LOL.

Belizeans do hunt using guns; Deer, gibnut, some birds, etc.

I say TravelinMan old boy, where exactly are these commodities and divestments of which you speak?

Sounds like another story of the search for "weapons of mass destruction".

Quote from Elbert: "Its refreshing to live in a place where the police don't have to be so delicate about violating someone rights that they can't do a good job."

After more thought, maybe he has a point. It might be a small inconvenience for McAfee to have to put up with a raid now and then but still be able to have your own drug lab and a 17 year old girlfriend to share with. What a country!

I have to wonder if McAffe’s major crime isn’t being Naïve
How many of us came here and lined up to drink the cool-aide
Some of us learn after getting sick just from the smell and are saved from drinking the whole cup.
I was friends with a woman who had a lucrative restaurant/bar/dive shop and every time any employee needed something she was very generous and would give freely. Of course the recipient would brag to everyone and then they would get jealous and want a piece of the money pie.
As she was leaving the island, very disillusioned (and drunk) she asked me “why when I was so good to them did they rob me blind.”
I told her that what it looked like to me was that she had no respect for money and threw it around and everybody wanted some. If she didn’t give it to them they just took it. I’m glad I was able to learn from her experience and have been saved a lot of heart ache.
I’ve heard stories (and you’ve read them too) how McAffe helped a lot of people, especially in the little town in Orange Walk where he built his home. It wasn’t long before there was a line of people with their hands. At what point do you say NO – and then what happens when you do
BTW – I’m happy to see people finally discussing this.

Being a few years older than McAfee, but even at his age, if I had my own drug lab and a 17 year old girlfriend, I would not consider myself Naïve. More like dilusional and overly optimistic.

The 17 minor girlfriend is the major offense here IMO

16 is the legal age in Belize.She's gorgeous and probably older than 17, you old geezers are jealous.
Bywarren you know it isn't that kind of drug lab.Its research for an antibiotic substitute, I took some of the early product from the lab.
Its a great idea hope the research pays off.

Is that the only product of the lab or could another substitute pill for ED be what you and McAfee are hoping for?

PS: I just thought of this and you might want to pass it along to McAfee in case he hasn't thought of it. But if he does research on a substitute pill for ED, he could write off the cost of the 17 year old girlfriend as a business expenses. I haven't had experience with 17 year old girlfriends, but my experience with somewhat older girlfriends are they can get very expensive.

I'm not involved, I just tried a free sample of a new product. His ideas for a substitute to antibiotics is good. Antibiotics are going to fail and the time seems right to begin looking for a replacement for when they do and the rainforest of Orangewalk seems a good place to start.
I think the news exaggerated the age of his beautiful young girlfriend, I met her shes witty, funny and seems to be in her twentys. Hes a lucky guy.
As to your experiences with older women I can understand, keeping them in walkers can get pricey!

Oh, come now Elbert. I have met some of BW's lady friends and I assure you "They Aint In Walkers"

OK then, back to the seriousness of the subject. If thru your personal experience he is only doing research on a substitute antibiotic and his firearms were registered, what probable cause would the police have for the raid?
Granted we do not have all the facts, but with your knowledge of the lab and the fact that the firearms were registered and no other illegalities were found, it tends to support McAfee's version and suspicions. And even more reason why there should be a further investigation.

Local (Orangewalk) government is very corrupt, Johns story about not contributing to a politicians campaign or otherwise getting sideways with a politico in Orangewalk and getting raided as a '[#%!] with you' type of action is very believable.
The weapons are a good excuse.

If that is the case, by picking on a high profile person they sure managed to get some bad PR for Belize in the international news. I would hope those of you involved with tourism and the government who depends on tourism will demand accountability.

If I where a billionaire champion of the internet I might have the power to hype the press, social media and bloggers for sympathy and build my defense against the big bad wolf by calling 'foul play' and 'nasty dictators', so very loud until, innocent or guilty, some higher up politicos called off the wolf at my door for fear of damaging relations with the fickled Tourist industry!
just sayin.

Warren, how would they know how many guns were there and whether or not they were properly documented unless they went there and checked? They got a warrant and did that. After the fact you can say they were all registered but not before. When he refused them the first time he sealed his fate. For some reason he did not choose to allow them in to his research facility and that heightened existing suspicions. Seems pretty simple to me and he should have been expecting them to come back, I sure would have but then I dont spread money around to the police either. He got his feelings hurt and his bunged up rep tarnished a bit more. He has no business attacking the country. If they had bad intentions they would have "found" something, bet on that. Still dont understand what he is crying about except he never thought they would do that to HIM after all he has given to the police and he feels humiliated and maybe foolish. Claiming a defense that can not be proven is weak, very weak. His claims that docs in the registry have been tampered with and his name removed is ludicrous, surely he has his registered copy of his Security Company docs as anyone would. If he can prove that one I will be happy to help him fry them but it seems very unlikely. Just my opinion.

"a billionaire champion of the internet"

"He got his feelings hurt and his bunged up rep tarnished a bit more"

Seems like there could be a bit more jealousy, animosity or envy involved rather than a desire to see that all the facts are investigated and reported to insure no matter who a person is they will be treated fairly in Belize.

That's the meat of the whole thing... people looking in from the outside may perceive that if a billionaire philanthropist ex-pat who employs only Belizean citizens, pays into Social Security as required, etc., while living and investing in Belize can have his legal rights summarily and indelicately stomped on for political payback, (which I'm not saying they were, but he is, and we don't know the facts yet) what protections under letter of law would any other person wishing to visit, reside, and/or invest in Belize have. I'm agreeing with Mike C that he may have brought this force upon himself by not cooperating previously as to an inspection. But I don't know that was actually the case, and neither do others who have the concerns expressed above. I hope to see a full, proper investigation and reporting at conclusion.

It was in the initial release from the police that they had tried before to enter, you can choose to believe they made it up if you want. I doubt they just made it up. Warren, I mean that McAfee suffered no real damage except to his rep which took another big hit internationally. I do find it strange he is making experimental drugs and giving then to Elbert who I assume took the stuff, whats up with that? My only interest in the man is his attack on Belize which is not justified in my view and can only be counter productive. He should just go about his business which it seems he is. Its not right to attack Belize making wild claims and accusations that he can not prove. We are taking a PR hit and it is his fault and I dont like it and will make every effort to make the other side heard. Police are not going to engage in a debate with the man or the public and have already given their statement which you can choose to not believe if you wish. If their investigation turns up wrong doing I am now convinced he will be charged if not he will not be charged. I do not see it as controversial except he has made it so as his only defense against international publicity but he seems nervous over the guns/security company deal which I know nothing about. And I would be jealous for what reason? I guess when you run out of legit comments you can always resort to personal insults.

We refer to an individuals response to our intitial contact and inquiries, even with observed violations, as the Atittude Test. Pass it and things go as well as they can, perhaps even better, than they would even in the face of the violations... fail it and things arent as smooth as they could be. Fail it badly, things go, well, badly. I'm sure the Belizean authorities have their own version...

WHEW ! I sure am glad I didnt hit the send button.

Mike C. You surprise me. What you are writing sounds like you thing the politicians and police are not corrupt! How long and loud have so many of us - including you when you ran for mayor - screamed to have this cleaned up.
I never saw or heard him bad-mouth Belice - In fact he raves about how much he loves it and the people here. It is the systems he is calling to task.
As I said in my first post - If the police can do something like this to someone like him it scares the bejesus out of me about what can happen to me or any of my friends.

Harriet you do know my positions well but I do not believe that each and every time the police are wrong. I do not think they did anything wrong in his case. I do not believe that 85 police came because he did not make a political contribution and I do not believe that docs in the Registry have been doctored. These are things he is claiming and there seems to be no proof of their veracity. These claims are a direct affront and assault on the credibility and integrity of every aspect of the country down to tampering with the registry and I do not believe that is true.
The hue and cry is that if it happened to him it could happen to me or any other investor and that also is not true except that his situation is of his own making as is everyone else's. I had not intended to even comment on the raid until I heard such ridiculous statements and felt compelled to reply as personally I dont find fault with the police this time and am glad he was not arrested for anything. Everyone should be equal under the law regardless of how rich or poor. He was searched was clean and that should have been the end of it.

85 police were involved in the raid??? The show of violent force is astounding. Shot the dawg. Cuffed everyone for 12+ hours. And you say the search was clean. Mike, I don't think you or any of us know the details of the facts surrounding this incident at this point. We all have opinions. Something in the milk ain't clean as to this situation, but I have no concrete evidence as to what and on whose part. With a no-knock raid to this degree there will be questions from all kinds of folks who find this disconcerting. Yes, McAfee, the authorities and all citizens must act within the laws of Belize. There has not been any evidence released to date that McAfee was not compliant with the law.

And yet, I am most troubled by the dog and the 17 year old girl..... In that order

Years ago I attended and passed the Belize Tourist Police training Course which was held in San Pedro town hall for special constables (same exam as regular police in Belize) and the one thing that I clearly remember was that NO WARRANT is needed in Belize if a residence is suspected of having ILLEGAL firearms inside.

Everything else required a warrant to search including drugs etc however if they have have reliable information that a premises has an ILLEGAL firearm then no warrant is required to conduct a search.

Belize is not the US and Gun laws are very strict as we know and this maybe why no warrant is needed when illegal firearms are suspected.

I am 100% positive this was the case since I remember answering the question and thinking Hmmmm well that means Police can search any residence without a warrant by saying they suspected they had an illegal firearm inside.

Gaz Cooper

Re: Gaz's comments

If probable cause is established purely on the basis of a suspicion that firearms are present it would lead me to believe that since JM had already registered some firearms, paperwork on file, that gave the police reasonable cause to enter. According to Gaz it's not that they have to have a suspicion that illegal firearms are present, only that firearms are present period...(which frankly is pretty tight gun law)

The general impressions I'm getting from this thread is that a LOT of people here are jumping conclusions based on the assumption that the facts are all out there. I would refrain from passing judgement on anything relating to this case.

Belize is different...If ever there were such a thing as being anthropomorphic with respect projecting culture and legal mores there certainly is a lot of that going on here.

Sorry I should of made it clear I am referencing Illegal firearms

Obviously if the firearms were registered they would already know that the residence has them, however from what i have read it is perfectly plausible that if they got a report of firearms on the premises and then did a check and it came back that Mr McAfee did not have any registered in his name (since it was a company) then that would warrant a search to determine if they were indeed illegal.

Obviously all this is speculation since we are not privy to the details in this case, so no judgement should be passed until all the eveidence is presented and that wont be on Ambergriscaye.com

Gaz Cooper

Looks to me like everyone/anyone including McAfee are lucky not to have found themselves suffering from hypovolemic shock, other than the dog that is.

Scubaldy makes a valid point. Mike, you wrote extensive comments during your run for political office about the corruption and abuse of power by authorities in Belize. Now that an individual claims to be subjected to that, you dismiss his complaints using the excuse he might have brought it on himself and blame him for tarnishing the reputation of Belize.
In my opinion, any reasonable person would question the force used based on the findings and expect a further investigation to determine if the corruption and abuse of power that you accuse of being prevalent in Belize was evident here.
In a democracy which Belize is suppose to be, as apposed to a totalitarian state, the government is answerable to the people. This incident deserves more answers and more people besides McAfee should be asking for those answers. Especially elected officials who represent the people and those who previously aspired to be elected.

I agree bw. Mike & bear seem to think if you say something to a police officer that he doesn't like, even if you are legally correct you can expect to have your doors broken down, your dog shot and you and occupants of you home detained for 14 hours. That is just not right and it reflects badly on Belize in most free countries.

Police ask to enter John's home. He declined to let them. Nothing illegal there. If it was the police would have demanded entry right then and there. Police show up in force, break down doors, shoot dog and detain occupants. Police find nothing except disputed paperwork on one of 14 firearms. Police file no charges. Maybe this was done without warrant because they suspected illegal firearms? Well they need to tell us just why they suspected illegal firearms to put us all at ease because the way it stands now it looks very heavy handed and should not be tolerated in a free democratic country like Belize. If the message is let us enter any home that we chose for any reason well they are getting that across.

This has nothing to do with legal technicalities of other countries. It has to do with what kind of a country Belize is. Basic human rights of persons living in a country should include not living in fear of their government or police when they are law abiding.

Is it possible he did?




Any reasonable person would expect that an incident that resulted in the deaths of two visitors while on a guided tour would expect a thorough investigation and published results, but this reasoable person has seen nothing to that effect...If death is not a reason for thorough investigation then why would one expect an incident allegedly involving simple egocentric political payback to be given, or rated at, a higher priority?

I'm not saying its right I'm simply saying...

Add to that the deaths of people in police custody.
These all demand answers and not just hope they go away. Sometimes me think there are more ostriches than real concerned people in Belize.

Rags, I was simply saying that in failing an attitude test on intital contact one could potentially elevate the degree of response, or the manner in which you are treated. This precept is pretty universal in law enforcement, ask any officer. I dont believe I said one should expect anything...

I would add that by "treated" I also mean within the legal boundaries of the jurisdiction and country in which the contact takes place. If one wants to draw one's own conlcusions about what is legal, or appropriate, in Belize, feel free to do so. I am not drawing any. I have lived in countries where peace officers routinely carry submachine guns and an attittude to match, and their responses to certain situations are far more dire than how the same situation would be handled in the US. As such I see the peace officers in the US, as much as they are maligned at times, as truly being one of the kinder gentler of their breed.

I am of the opinion that if this raid was indeed politcally motivated the best initial attitude test in the world would be a failure...If it was not and Mr McAfees intial response were deemed escalatory by the local constabulary that may have lead to the end result (or at least have been used as a reason to escalate repsonse based on the politics involved). I somehow suspect that there is more to this than we're hearing and I'll be interested to see what happens...

Amen Bee-W

John McAfee “demands” an apology for GSU raid

A video of the entire interview with McAfee can be found at the end of this article…

John McAfee, the inventor of the McAfee AntiVirus Scan demands an apology from the Government of Belize after members of the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) stormed into his estate located on the outskirts of Orange Walk Town. The 66 year old expatriate was the subject of an aggressive search and 14-hour long detention by police that eventually required US Embassy intervention to secure his release.

The wealthy US investor, who moved to Belize in 2008 and spends his time between homes in San Pedro and Orange Walk, says that not only was he a victim of an aggressive search but his doors were busted open despite being unlocked. In an exclusive interview with The San Pedro Sun on May 9th, McAfee recalled that sometime around 6AM on Monday, April 30th, GSU personnel descended on the mainland property, namely the Belize Ecological Foundation Limited, located next to the Tower Hill Bridge in Carmelita Village, Orange Walk District. After the GSU officers entered his estate, McAfee said that his dog, Caramelo, was shot and killed. Thereafter, the men broke down doors and ransacked the nine houses on the compound. “I was awakened by a commotion; megaphones and dogs barking and people yelling. I went outside and saw a lot of soldieries in attack formation coming down the driveway with automatic weapons,” said McAfee.

According to Police, present at the time of the search were John McAfee, his 17-year-old Belizean girlfriend, four security guards, 33 year old Emerson Michael who claimed to be the Chief of Security, 23 year old Emerson Dominguez, 46 year old Austin Allen and 23 year old Tyron Morales who are all Belizean nationals. Also present was Michael’s common-law wife Princesa Ericson. McAfee explained however, that he was handcuffed with 14 other people for over 14 hours.

While McAfee said they showed him a search warrant, he did not get a chance to read it. Police claim that during the search ten firearms were found. The firearms were seven 12 gauge pump action shotguns (one of which had a scope), one 12 gauge single action shotgun, one Taurus 9mm pistol and one 9mm CZ pistol. Five air rifles with scopes resembling sniper rifles that use 6.26 mm slugs were also found along with two hundred and seventy 12 gauge cartridges, thirty 9mm rounds and twenty .38 rounds. According to McAfee, the firearms belong to the security company his business owns.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

".....McAfee said that if he does not get an apology by Friday, May 11th he will be soliciting the services of Robert Hilton, a senior lobbyist in Washington, DC to get the US State Department to issue a Travel Advisory against Belize."

How to win friends and influence people...

So I guess my "Where the Hell is Belize" tee shirt won't be too relevant anymore.

I don’t know if that axiom “all publicity is good” holds true in this case. But if so, the GSU has done more for Belize than the BTB has and with far less money.

Thats rich and he can be stung by the same methods he used to procure items he could not live without. The US has a law where you can be prosecuted for for bribing public officials in foreign countries, whether you are Walmart in MX and an oil company in Africa and assume it would be the same in BZ, especially as he has been open to the press about his giftings to public officials and Ministers of Govt. There are two sides to every story and never forget, Belize is like an onion, the more layers you peel, the more info you find. I am not defending or condemning, but know there is more here than meets the eyes or ears.

The irony of all this is that if McAfee had anything illicit running there he would have got rid of it all straight after the first refused search attempt.

Unless this set up is some elaborate ruse by a really stupid man I believe his alternative medicine is actually what he is doing. The GSU are by the nature of their job suspicious in Belize of anything drug related and have probably assumed the worst when talk of labs and chemists etc arise. A similar arm of the Police in US UK etc are also going to go in heavy handed. They are Policemen after all and that's how a lot of them get their kicks - OK unfair jibe but it has a ring of truth in my experience the world over.

Refusal will have got their goat and hence the heavy handed response. All who have lived here any length of time will know how locals don't like being told what is what by foreigners, and why should they. Please don't tell me this hasn't happened to immigrants in US UK etc etc. This one happens to have some clout and seems intent to use it. Not correct, but pretty common everywhere I'll bet and pretty naive not to have expected something along these lines. Saddened by the Dog, impressed by the girlfriend - that herbal shit must work!!!!!

How often do raids occur in Belize City, or elsewhere, by BDF and GSU forces using 45 officers?

It seems to me that someone in politics could have spoken with McAfee beforehand.

Would a Bowen, Espat, Fonseca, add in other long time Belize family names, etc. be raided like this?

It seems like there might be about six different sides to the story...

Exactly Rick a Belize name like that would never be treated this way but I guess that is so to a greater or lesser degree in any country.

Also if an immigrant in the US or UK (I'll presume) was treated this way and they made a complaint the first thing that would happe in the investigation would be to find out the basis for the warrant. (it now seems that there was a warrant) If it was found that a policeman lied to get the warrant he would be history and that is fact. The judges who issue warrants wouldn't put up with it and the public wouldn't.

" impressed by the girlfriend - that herbal shit must work!!!!!"

Come on Phil, look at my picture and at McAfee. Why would you not expect young pretty girls to fall in love with us.
Oh, and Ernie, if you were just a little more handsome, I would include you.

As a point of reference, when I built Lighthouse Reef Resorts on Northern Two Cayes we built an airstrip, had huge fuel tanks, had an airplane, had lots of boats and about 25 guys out there. Not surprisingly one day the BDF showed up in airplanes and descended upon us armed and scoured the entire island, checked everyones papers, searched everyone and everything and checked the guns of which there was one rifle used to keep off the crocs. Everything was in order and they left. I think it was a valid search as we certainly fit the profile of a big drugs operation. If there had been ANYTHING wrong it would have gone differently but we were very cooperative and Colin quickly put away the dogs and gave the guided tour.
Some posters have thought it off that the police would have kept him handcuffed. They found lots of guns scattered about and would have been very unprofessional and potentially dangerous to allow that amount of people to be around unrestrained.
I agree there may be more to the situation that we do not know about but I do not believe it was because of not paying a campaign contribution. It is published on Wikipedia that the politician was Gaspar Vega. That is serious stuff as would be tampering with the Registry and such claims should not be tossed about lightly and without the ability to back them up as they have international repercussions.
Now threats to try to get a travel advisory against Belize and he has not even been arrested. What comes to mind is that the best defense is a good offense. Me thinks he protesteth too much. Maybe we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Humph, if I were any more handsome, they would tax me twice.

I think Mr McAfee came across very credible and I believe him based on his interview of the facts according to him.

He is a very rich guy that has been rich for many years and normally people of such wealth are treated with the utmost respect and in this case it seems from what has been presented that he has been disrespected and he has a right to be pissed off.

I believe he does have the power to do Belize massive harm in the International press and it would be wise for Belize to come out and disclose exactly what this raid was about because what has been presented so far is weak and it leads me to believe the accusation of a refused pay off may very well be true based on what has been presented thus far..

Now if that is not the case then Belize better come out and present something more than a firearm license paperwork screw up.

It is perfectly credible that those firearms were for his protection as he is a target as one of the richest men in Belize and it makes perfect sense he needs that much security.

Right now, until Belize comes out and produces something more than one firearms licence violation, Mr McAfee is the one that is more credible so far.

Gaz Cooper

Right now I am thinking about the corrupt police departments in the US in the not so distant past – Cook County (Chicago), Las Angeles (think Rodney King) and New Orleans.
None of these were cleaned up from the inside – it took outraged private citizens to stand up and tell it like it is. Did it give these cities black eyes – of course it did! Are they better off for it – Of course they are!
How we all like to want something fixed until it affects us negatively – then we scream bloody murder.
We have to be careful in what we pray for – we just might get it.

It sure appears there is one outraged private citizen.

I am outraged that he has a 17 year old girlfriend living on the property where he developing his private militia.
I think anyone "dating" a child ought to be a child.

Well, Pam, agreed but by Belizean law she's of the age of consent whether we like it or not. I don't think she's being held there against her will by John...she got herself a billionaire boyfriend :P

There is law and there is ethics.

In reference to chief Gates of the LA police dept. The Sacramento Kings hired him to be their coach because they were having a hard time beating anyone on the road.

Yes, there is Belize law and Belize ethics. And, McAfee is a long way from being a billionaire.
Not that his net worth should be an issue, but he lost the vast majority of it thru bad investments and high priced realestate that he had to liquidate. Some actual estimates, including his own, put his net worth under 10 million. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=8462247

Yup, assume Gapi, who then leans on Saldivar to activate gsu. Saldivar needs Gapi, who holds the keys to the land kingdom and land is currency for votes. Its a bloody mess, but our mess none the less. But everyone who buys a passport, pays off an official, donates huge sums and expensive items to work around the system, accepts $ for votes, or votes because they will be in favor with the govt of the day for financial benefit, is responsible for creating this mess. Sounds pretty universal to me, unfortunately.

Well, my reference to billionaire status was made jokingly as many people perceive his financial status to be such. Who cares, his girlfriend is of age to decide what her personal Belizean ethics are. I'm not saying I agree that a woman of the age of 17 is 'fully cooked', but some are, some aren't, and it's really none of my business.

Katie, maybe you know...
When was the last large, full scale, GSU/BDF raid in Belize City that got a few real bad gangbangers sent to Hattieville and got big press?

I was actually referring to his ethics as the only adult.
But I think it is important to be clear . Either a person adopts Belize values and accepts them or a person maintains their own values. As a parent and social worker , my value is that a man in their 60's with a 17 year old "girlfriend" is basically engaged in sexploitation and that person would be arrested in the states for rape.
But I also understand that many people do not see this as as important issue or, at minimum, not relevant to this discussion.

Pam, Belize is not 'the states'. And here in the USA many of the states uphold the age of consent as the constituents choose. While I have reservations as to the propriety in this regard, who are you, or I, to insert our personal values and mores into the personal business of a Belizean adult woman. I don't think the girlfriend's age is relevant to the issue of McAfee's sitch. There is actual 'sexploitation' occurring right before one's eyes in many areas of Belize. Focus on that which is illegal and can be mitigated if properly investigated and acted upon by law enforcement.

Yes....Well...

Look, I live in Belize and have for about 15 years. I teach family violence and counseling at the University. I am also the person who gets the midnight call when this girl ages out and tries to kill herself. Maybe this is love and they will marry soon and live happily ever after. Great.
I will call it like I see it. 17 is young. Too many of these girls get led down the garden path and then face their life with the consequences.
I see no excuses but others may and that is their right.

Pam- I understand your issue. The first thing I said when I heard/read about this was "What the h--- is he doing with a 17 year old girlfriend? No, it's not criminal nor is it unusual. Just look around the island. I see old gringo men of all descriptions with lovely dark skinned young women. Who can blame the girls for lending themselves to a meal ticket and a decent place to live? We fat old white girls don’t have a chance. LOL
Unfortunately this takes away from the real issue.
I did some figuring (tell me if I'm wrong - I'm counting on it)
There are 7 building structures on the 17 acres.
There were 65 armed raiders.
Let's count the big house as two which would make it 8 and lets drop one cop (who may be going behind a bush) and make it 64. That means on average 8 people 'searched' each house --- for 14 hours? AND FOUND NOTHING?
Can you imagine what 8 guys would do in your house for 14 hours?
There have been all kinds of numbers bandied around and someone mentioned that he was held for 14 hours. No – he and all his employees were handcuffed in the yard for 14 hours. The raid started at 6 AM and he was released in Belize City at 2:00 AM. That equals 20 hours in custody

Well that certainly took the wind out of my sails. hahaha

I think this whole issue is getting way too much play.

are you sure 17 is the age of consent?

16

By a load of people blowing smoke. Let it die.

Stop thinking. Case solved.

DC

either way, she is too young and I consider this to be the biggest issue.....

People spend 14 hrs being held captive on an airport Runway with no food or water or bathroom for no reason at all. You think the government is apologizing to them?

Some people on this board forget what things are like in the US (even though they live there) and then come here and expect so much more.

So Pam, are you a Jerry Lee Lewis fan.
And, Cracked up: Why so interested.

from a friend.....

The government needs to apologize! Get it over with, bite the bullet and revise your GSU procedures. If they wanted to do a search, I would think it more appropriate for three officers to show up at the front door politely, with their warrant and then proceed with their search in a normal friendly manner. This sort of GSU approach may be appropriate for a known gang leader and killer, but hardly for a foreign investor, immigrant type retiree. Whoever the Police Minister on the CABINET was, and authorized this, should have shown more common sense and done a more friendly, but firm approach. The man has good intentions and the Belizean public support McAFEE. Those of us who have had their houses ransacked and turned topsy turvy before the formation of the GSU know full well how this type of raid is tyrannical and not democratic. Just a fishing expedition, looking to demonstrate political power, and create FEAR and TERROR. This stuff is going to backfire down the road very badly and escalate into violence. I´ve experienced it decades ago and certainly did not like it. What I didn´t like was the mess they made. In the case of dogs, you need to let the owner either tie them up, or lock them up, or something. 14 hours in handcuffs. You have got to be kidding? What about shitting and pissing, or getting water to drink, etc. One thing sticks out, is the story of the officer who mislaid the licenses, passport, or paper work, if that was the case. That smacks of illegal duplicity and no BELIZEAN PATRIOT want police officers staying on the police force, that are of bad ethics and morals. People are plain fed up with manufactured evidence, framing people and nuisance lawsuits that cost time, emotional turmoil and money. Nobody in Belize wants to live this way. Get rid of the bad eggs on the police force. Keep cleaning those bad officers out.

Response from another friend:

Well, I certainly am sorry to see this whole mess go on. Obviously the cops went overboard on a power play. They could have searched without breaking stuff and holding people out in the sun for hours. But now McAfee is issuing not so idle threats to punish the whole country by trying to damage the tourism industry. That damage is already underway. Articles are spreading now to foreign language publications. The top Russian computer online mag has a story today with the first Youtube video of McAfee. It's all in Russian (except for the word "SWAT" heh heh) so I won't bother sending it.

I hope this can be settled quietly soon but that does not seem to be in the cards.

Assuming, I use the word assuming, that McAfee’s version is correct, people ought to be thankful and supportive that he is not standing still for what many would describe as totalitarian tactics by the government. His actions by shedding light on these tactics could benefit all if corrective measures are needed and enacted. If he is correct, it is the government of Belize that is tarnishing the reputation of Belize. If his version is not accurate, the government should provide a better explanation for the level of force used.
If people choose not to support him, they should at least wait for all the facts to come out and not “shoot the messenger” or discount his version based solely on his personal life style. Worse yet is taking the position of hoping this just goes away before a full investigation is completed and reported. People have the right to know that their government is acting within the law and treats everyone under the law equally.

Where will I go to get a massage? I think you ment messenger

Thanks edit in progress, Freudian slip. Must have been thinking of the girlfriend.

bywarren, I remember so well what my son's friend once told me. She likes older guys so I asked her how she handles the sex thing with the Jerry Lewis wannabes. She said it was really important for the old dude to be on bottom because if you let them be on top, it looked like their faces were melting.
Ain't love grand?

I often wondered what inspired Jerry's song "Great Balls Afire"

Thank you Pam for inevitably what will be the best post of the day!!!!

I for one am glad there are some younger women who appreciate older men, even though sometimes it seems like more than our face melts.
Whoops, are we hijacking this thread? Maybe Pam deserves one of her own, thread that is - or whatever.

Hehehe

GSU Says Public Officer Tried To Bribe Officer On McAfee's Behalf

And about one hour after that shooting - there was a wild shootout on the south side of Belize City - and 30 year old Jason Canto was killed.

It happened at Dale barbershop on the canal side - where residents heard as many as twenty five shots fired. 7news was on the scene and we'll have that story for you shortly, but first, there is a quite remarkable development in the John McAfee case. You'll recall that McAfee is the American investor who was strung up by the GSU when they searched his Orange Walk Estate ten days ago.

Well, this evening the Commander GSU says that a public officer tried to get a GSU officer to turn informant for McAfee - and tell her whenever the GSU will make a move on him again.

Here's how it went down: On Monday of this week 44 year old Matilda GARNETT, a Second Class clerk who works at the Vital Statistics Unit allegedly contacted a member of the GSU and asked him to meet her. He did, and GARNETT, claiming that she was acting on behalf of McAfee proposed to the officer that if he would provide her with reports on the operations of the GSU as they related to McAfee, he would be quote, unquote, "handled" well. The officer reported the matter to the commander of GSU and a sting operation was conducted the following day.

During that meeting, GARNETT is alleged to have introduced the officer to another person who she said was one of McAfee's "right hands", 40 year old Rodwell RICHARDS - a former policeman. He is alleged to have made the same offer to the officer and allegedly went as far as giving him $200.00 with a promise of being "well taken care of" once he kept them informed.

And so this evening, GARNETT was charged with "attempting to corrupt an officer". RICHARDS was just arrested and will be charged for the same offence.

The GSU says that According to GARNETT and RICHARDS, McAfee had become paranoid since the GSU raid and was since living in fear that the GSU would visit him again, so he wanted a "heads up".

We could not reach McAfee for comment - and he did not respond to our request by text message.

Channel 7

GSU charge McAfee associates for tying to corrupt a cop

The Orange Walk residence of millionaire businessman John McAfee was stormed by Gang Suppression Unit (GSU) personnel during a police operation on April thirtieth. The raid which resulted in the arrest of three security guards left a bitter taste in McAfee’s mouth and he later demanded an apology from the Belize Police Department. Tonight, two of his associates have been arrested and charged for attempting to corrupt a GSU officer. According to information released from Assistant Superintendent Marco Vidal, forty-four year old Matilda Garnett and forty year old Rodwell Richards tried to bribe the officer with money in exchange for reports on GSU operations involving McAfee.

On Monday, Garnett, a second class clerk, contacted a member of the unit and insisted that they meet. During the encounter, the woman claimed that she was acting on behalf of McAfee, whom she later said had become paranoid since the raid on his premises. The officer then reported the matter and a sting operation was conducted. During the subsequent meeting Richards was introduced to the officer as McAfee’s “right hand.” He reportedly offered the officer two hundred dollars and a promise that once he kept them informed of the GSU campaign he would be quote “ well taken care of.” unquote. Earlier this evening Garnett and Richards were arrested and charged for attempting to corrupt an officer.

Channel 5

Somehow I think that if a Belizean was raided like this it would have become old news long ago and would not get a dozen or so pages of comments on the message board.

Im still at a loss as to why they are harrassing Mr McAfee since really they have nothing on him, all licensed firearms no charges or minimal charges hardly worth the 43 or 85 or however many they used.

Hell they only use an 8 man team for US Swat for real bad guys LOL

This story just gets more crazy as it develops

Gaz Cooper

He is developing a militia, he is developing a lab, we have 3 containers of sudafed waiting at customs that no one is picking up. GSU may have made an obvious connection which may or may not be correct. They needed to check it out. Now maybe they should have been more polite but if they have information about machine guns, pistols, and army guards, maybe not. Plus he has 17 year old girlfriend who I am committing to mention every time I mention him as a values point.
So who knows what the heck is going on but it needs to be investigated.

All rumors and speculation Pat,

1.) All weapons were licensed and legal apparently,

2.) You cannot really put containers waiting at customs on him too LOL.

3.) As much as you dislike it, his girlfriend is of legal age in Belize and seems very happy to be with him and he with her.

4.) The Drug lab accusation is misleading as I read an article a few years ago about him developing natural remedies and had a nice looking young lady doctor working for him, so to imply, (which they have) that it is some sordid drug lab is another manipulation of the truth

So they have checked him out, used excessive force, found nothing, so I think its about time they left the guy alone to live his life.

starting to look like a witch hunt

JMHO

Gaz Cooper

Gaz, my name is not Pat. I have nothing against the name, just not mine

I am not blaming anyone for anything. Just saying I can see where there was a perceived need to investigate. It continues to be news frankly, because of John's response

So who knows what the heck is going on but it needs to be investigated. [/quote]
The only part of your comment that I can agree with - assuming you are including the actions of the government as needing investigation.

Haha Sorry Pam

Well if I had the power McAfee then I would be pissed off and making a lot of noise too, especially when they found nothing, then refused to aplogize after causing damage to property, killing a dog, being handcuffed for 20 hours, no food etc etc etc

I think he has every right to react and speak out like he has.

Gaz

I don’t consider “militia” to be synonymous with having a personal security force, especially living where he does and with his high profile, and shotguns, pistols and air rifles are a long way from being machine guns. As to the lab, he made no effort to conceal that he had been doing research. It should not take the effort expelled to check that out.
And for the girlfriend, I will be glad to assist in investigating that.

Exactly my thoughts BW it is perfectly normal for a guy of his high profile to have a personal security force and firearms ESPECIALLY living in Orange Walk of all places.

I suspect there are a few real discrepancies with paperwork etc but this is not enough to warrant the use of the force used.

As for the girlfriend I will wait for your investigation to conclude before commenting on that

Gaz

I am naive as to the ways of the world of drug manufacturing, be antibodies antiseptics or whatever, but what does sudafed have to to with it? and who is the we? who has the three containers ? and who was the shipment going to ?
does anybody know this?
So sorry that Miss Matilda and Mr. Richards have now been charged with bribery, especially if they were acting in Mr. McAfee's behalf, although, it is understandable that Mr. McAfee would be uncomfortable after the recent siege on his compound.
Is this just the "Way of the Jungle and Primal Jungle Games? ... It sounds like the plot of the new Disney Film ,"Chimpanzee"? Primal Wanker Wars...Who's has the biggest guns or coconuts, most cash or bananas, and the biggest d#%&$ to service the youngest and most fertile females of the Jungle
If the reports of a 17 year old girlfriend, are true, even if she " got her age" she has fathers, brothers , cousins... who may feel like she needs protection from the bewitching King of the Jungle and therefor feel compelled to raid the neighboring monkey pod.
I believe that Mr. McAffee gave a deadline of yesterday for an apology from the Powers that Be or else he would speak to the US press. I see no new major Press outlet reports today from CNN, CBS, NBC other than was reported to the AP by Mr. Mc.Afee several days ago . Perhaps he is planning a surprise attack? or is he being restrained for doing so?
I wish Mr. McAfee well, those who know him seem to speak highly of him. Regardless of his intents, be it gifts or bribery, he has increased the cash flow into the Belize economy substantially . His gifts almost equal the GNP.

Sudafed contains pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical to Meth. Rumour-mongering.


If they're guilty of a crime, don't feel sorry for them. It was their choice.

Thank you , kind sir (?) for my education about the many uses of sudafed.
As you so wisely said, It is all "rumor mongering" at this point.
From the press reports I have read, and from people supposably "in the know of him" Mr. Mcafee is very anti-illegal drugs and even alcohol.
Anything is possible, but highly unlikely that he would spend his time on such endeavors. I don't think he needs the money nor aggravation from the Powers that Be .
I do find , however, that there is often little white Lies in Truth and Truth in Lies and we can never fully know another's pure intent. Nor can we ever fully trust another, we can only trust ourselves and our inner lie detector ... and even that is "iffy "
For me, my lie detector alerts are registering from both sides of the story . But what do I know?
I do wonder , however, if it will be worth it in the end for the country of Belize and the Tourist Industry. Will the tourist boats on the way to Lamani still stop at his compound on the New River and point it out as a place of interest? The place where the "incident " recently occurred. And will they show a photo of Mr. Mcafee, handcuffed, disheveled, with his dead dog at his feat, surrounded by 30,60, 80?
swat team members. It might be a good poster boy image for Tourist brochures, with the caption reading, " Come to Belize. This Too Could Happen to You. Beliezeit... Its the Other side to Paradise. "
I love Belize and the people in it, the many shades and hues of it, the light and dark of it, no matter what. It represents the eternal duality of Life. I wish them well... as Do I , Dr. McAfee... but what do I know? I've never met the Mystery Medicine Man... he appears to be a nice fellow, ( if a bit eccentric in his tastes in lifestyle and dualities)
It's really none of my business, So back to real life.... I must be bored in Paradise, I better get a life .

GSU Charges Cop Who Says He's "Friend" Of Millionaire McAfee

On Friday we told you that the GSU had arrested two persons: public officer Matilda GARNETT, and former cop, Rodwell Tiger RICHARDS for "attempting to corrupt an officer", specifically for soliciting a GSU officer to give them a heads up when they would next be moving in on US Investor John McAfee.

Well now, another person has been charged for the same thing: and this one is an active police corporal from Orange Walk who was charged with attempting to corrupt an officer on Saturday.

The GSU alleges that MARTINEZ called a member of the GSU on Friday saying that that he was assisting INTERPOL and 922 TIPS with an investigation on McAfee and was interested in information contained in a diary found during the search at of McAfee's residence in Orange Walk.

He call the officer again later that day and insisted on getting information, allegedly saying that he wanted to help quote, "the millionaire McAfee", and that the officer could make money once he assisted in providing certain information. Well, the officer was in no mood for that game, and a Warrant for the apprehension of MARTINEZ was obtained. When the Unit attempted to execute the Warrant at his home in Orange Walk, they were informed that he had left for work at 10:00 am in Belize City.

He was found around 9:30 that night in Belmopan and was arrested for attempting to corrupt an officer, resisting arrest and using obscene language.

Garnett, Richards and Martinez were represented by attorneys Simeon Sampson and Dickie Bradley in court today. They all pleaded not guilty, and they were granted bail of $3,000 each which they wer all able to meet.

They are expected back in court on July 16. Martinez was also arraigned in Belmopan Magistrate's Court for the obscene language charge.

Channel 7

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Three Public Officers Allegedly Friends Of John McAfee Charged For Attempting To Corrupt An Officer

Three Public Officers, two from Belize City and one from Orange Walk have been charged for attempting to corrupt an officer. First we’ll tell you about the two from Belize City who were charged with the crime after they allegedly tried to retrieve information from an officer pertaining to the investigation being carried out against U.S National John McAfee by the Gang Suppression Unit.

Viewers might recall that on Monday May 1st the Gang Suppression Unit raided McAfee’s home here in Orange Walk, detained him and his employees for more than 14 hours, took McAfee to Belize City and then released him at 1:30 on Tuesday morning without any charges after the intervention of the U.S Embassy.

That took place one week ago and reports are that on Monday May 7th Matilda Victoria Garnett, 44 year old Second Class Clerk working at the Vital Statistics Unit, allegedly contacted a member of the GSU and asked him to meet with her at a certain location.

The officer allegedly met with Garnett who informed him that she was acting on behalf of McAfee. The woman, it is alleged, proposed to the officer that he provide her with reports regarding the operations of the GSU associated to McAfee and that he would be “handled” well. But apparently the officer wanted no part of the game and reported the matter to the Commander of the GSU Marco Vidal. A sting operation was put into effect the following day.

During the consequent meeting Garnett allegedly introduced the officer to 40 year old Security Consultant and Assistant Manager at Benny’s, Rodwell Richards, who she said was one of McAfee’s right hand. Allegations are that Richards made the same offer to the officer and went as far as to offer him $200.00 and promised that he would be well taken care of once he kept them informed of the investigations carried out against McAfee.

Right after the meeting both Garnett and Richards were arrested for attempting to corrupt an officer. Both of the accused reported that ever since the GSU raided McAfee’s house, he become paranoid and was living in fear that the unit would visit him again, so he wanted a “heads up”.

But as mentioned at the top of the first story, Garnett and Richards are not the only two persons who were charged for attempting to corrupt an officer. On Saturday May 12th a police corporal from Orange Walk was also charged with the same crime. Allegations are that on Friday May 11th, 42 year old Corporal Darius Martinez, attached to the Faber’s Road Precinct in Belize City, made two calls to an officer attached the GSU from his personal cell phone.

During the first call made Friday afternoon, Martinez, allegedly told the officer, who is well known to him, that he was assisting INTERPOL and 922 TIPS with an investigation on McAfee and was interested in obtaining information contained in a diary found during the search executed at the residence of the American Retiree in Orange Walk.

Later that same day, Martinez allegedly called the same officer for the second time insisting that he be given the requested information stating that he wanted to help “the millionaire McAfee”, “a friend”. Martinez also told the officer that he could make money once he provided certain information and “watched” the Unit on his behalf.

Based on that report a warrant for the apprehension of Martinez was obtained by the GSU who headed to Orange Walk to detain the corporal. But when the unit arrived at Martinez’s house located at number 15 Riverside Street, the only person they met at home was his wife who informed them that Martinez was expecting them but had to leave for work at 10:00am in Belize City.

Martinez was later located by the GSU around 9:30pm in Belmopan where he was arrested and charged for attempting to corrupt and officer, resisting arrest and using obscene language. We were unable to get in contact with McAfee for comment today.

CTV3

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Police Officer arrested and charged for “attempting to corrupt an officer”

On Friday May 11, 2012 the Gang Suppression Unit arrested and charged Matilda Victoria GARNETT, Public Officer and Rodwell RICHARDS, former Police Corporal, both of Belize City, for “attempting to corrupt an officer“.

On Saturday May 12, 2012, Darius MARTINEZ, a 42 year old Belizean Police Corporal of 15 Riverside Street, Orange Walk Town, attached to the Faber’s Road Precinct, Belize City, was charged with the same offence.

The charge arises from two calls placed by MARTINEZ from his personal cellular telephone to a member of the Gang Suppression Unit the previous day (Friday May 11,2012). During the first call made early in the afternoon, MARTINEZ, who is well known to the officer whom he called, said that he was assisting INTERPOL and 922 TIPS with an investigation on McAfee and was interested in information contained in a diary found during the search executed at John McAfee’s residence in Orange Walk. He placed another call to the same officer later that day and insisted on getting information, saying that he wanted to help “the millionaire McAfee”, “a friend” and that the officer could “make money” once the officer assisted in providing certain information and if the officer “watched” the Unit on his behalf.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun

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Police, ex-cop and clerk in McAfee Mess

In the local courts, a police officer, an ex-cop and a second class clerk have been charged for allegedly attempting to bribe police officers, following a raid by the Gang Suppression Unit at the estate of millionaire businessman, John McAfee. During the raid on April thirtieth, seven firearms were found on the property, and police claimed that one of them was unlicensed. No charges have been brought against McAfee, but three of his affiliates have since been arrested. Clerk, Matilda Garnett; ex-cop Rodwell Richards and Police Constable Darius Lionel Martinez were all arraigned for Attempting to Corrupt a Police Officer.

Richards, who was represented by attorneys, Dickie Bradley and Simeon Sampson, is accused of offering to pay PC Adrian Lopez on May eighth to provide confidential information on McAfee’s case. The same allegations were made against Garnett, but her offence was dated May seventh. When those two attempts failed, PC Martinez allegedly attempted to buy details on the information gathered during the raid from WPC Stacey Humes, who is attached to the GSU. All three pleaded not guilty when they appeared before the Senior Magistrate, Sharon Frazer. There was no objection to bail, which was granted in the sum of three thousand dollars each.

They are due back in court on July sixteenth. While Garnett and Richards were free to go, PC Martinez was taken into custody by CIB officers in Belize City and escorted to Belmopan where he was additionally charged for resisting arrest and using threatening words upon Sergeant Francisco Ack. Once again, Martinez pleaded not guilty, was granted bail of two thousand dollars and is to return to the Belmopan court on June twenty-ninth.

Channel 5

Thank you for this. I needed a good laugh and you have a wonderful way with writing.

McAfee Says He's Through With the Local Press

John McAfee says he's going global in his pubic relations fight against the Government of Belize. As we've reported McAfee's Orange Walk Estate was searched by the GSU 15 days ago - and since then there have been a number of claims and counterclaims between him and the GSU.

Recently, the GSU charged three persons for trying to buy informants for McAfee within the GSU.

Well, the 66 year old issued a rather haughty statement today saying, quote, "As of noon, today….I will no longer be speaking to the Belizean press the dialog between myself and the Government of Belize deserves a larger stage, and a press that is not aligned with local politics….it is time for cooler heads to consider our dialog, and time for a larger audience."

And so, this morning - in case you didn't quite hear the church bells chiming, or feel the earth shaking - McAfee gave an interview to a weblog called Gizmodo.

He says he will be following up with more interviews over the next few weeks - we'll tell you when he breaks out of the blogosphere.

Channel 7

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U.S National John McAfee Says He Will No Longer Speak With Belizean Media

It took place about a week ago and the tension between U.S national John McAfee and the Gang Suppression Unit is still on edge. On May 1ST the GSU raided McAfee’s Residence here in Orange Walk and detained him and his employees for more than 14 hours. McAfee was then taken to Belize City and released until 1:30 on Tuesday morning without any charges after the intervention of the U.S Embassy. In recent news, Matilda Garnett, a second class clerk of Belize City, Police Constable Darius Martinez of Orange Walk and ex-cop Rodwell Richards were all charged for attempt to corrupt an officer and were labeled as affiliates of McAfee. The charge is derived from the attempt to bribe Police Constables Adrian Lopez and Stacy Humes to get information on an investigation being carried by the GSU against McAfee.

After the three public officers were charged, all attempts to get McAfee for comment proved futile. But yesterday the U.S National fired off a press release in which he states that GSU Commander Marco Vidal and his unit remain persistent in their attempts to discredit him. Of course he is referring to a press release issued by the Gang Suppression Unit on Friday May 11th which made all allegations that Richards was McAfee’s right hand man. McAfee makes claim that he serves no relationship to Garnett and that Richards, who is clearly his friend, has never been asked to provide any information pertaining the activities of the GSU. In the press release McAfee goes on to ask, “Why is the Gang Suppression Unit, whose purpose is to suppress gang activity, be spending time, money and resources pursuing a minor misdemeanor charge allegedly involving business people?” He then proceeds by making a solemn remark stating that there are serious crimes being committed by gangs which the GSU should be suppressing. Finally he makes all suggestion that the name GSU be changed to BSU meaning Business Suppression Unit. Today when we contacted McAfee for comment he told us he will not be making any further comments to the Belizean Media.

And that’s exactly what McAfee states in press release he issued late this evening. In the short release the U.S National makes mention that as of noon today he will no longer be speaking to the Belizean press. The release further states and we quote “This morning I gave my first interview to the outside press. I chose to give my first interview to Matt Honan, senior reporter for Gizmodo, because Matt is fair and balanced, and Gizmodo has a readership of ten million people, in 7 languages. I will be following up with additional interviews over the next few weeks with additional publications. The story will appear tomorrow, May 17th if scheduling permits.” End of quote.

According to McAfee he is choosing not to speak to the Belizean press because he believes that the dialog between himself and the Government of Belize deserves a larger stage, and a press that is not aligned with local politics. McAfee does admit that the Belizean press has by and large treated him fairly, but it is time for cooler heads to consider dialog, and time for a larger audience.

CTV3

Oh Please!!!!

AMEN !

Well that's him done in Belize, if he knows it or not.

Prudent move would have been to hire Eamon Courtaney or Denys Barrow and deal with this the right way thru local legal channels. But perhaps that was not an alternative, as there is more to the story than what is public.

No doubt, but I agree with the assessment to use local expertise whenever possible.

With respect to his statement about speaking to the Belizean press it always astounds me how so many smart people in this world have so little common sense.

John McAfee’s story makes it to the Gizmodo Blog

About three weeks ago, the GSU raided the property of Anti-Virus Founder John McAfee near the toll bridge in Orange Walk. The incident was widely reported in Belize and the report went viral in US networks. McAfee initially gave interviews to the local media, but then said he wouldn’t anymore and that he was launching his plight internationally. Well, he has and the widely read Gizmodo, a technology weblog about consumer electronics, has published the account of McAfee’s story. He alleges that the GSU killed his dog, seized his passport, and arrested him on a bogus weapons charge. McAfee claims that his forceful arrest was motivated by his refusal to donate money to a crooked politician. McAfee has launched a legal battle against the Gang Suppression Unit. Gizmodo It is recognized for its up-to-date coverage of the technology industry and has been launched in a number of countries, including Australia, Britain and Brazil, where it has huge followings.

Channel 5

====================

Some of this is a little bit far fetched if you ask me....

Meth Labs and Dead Dogs: How the Founder of McAfee Antivirus Went on the Run in Belize

Gizmodo

It's been a while since I've posted anything. "I've been busy" is everyone's excuse for laziness, but I can't come up with a better one. For those of you who follow the news in Central America, you will know that I am in hiding in an undisclosed location in Belize. Hiding out is no fun. I've always wondered why people on the run turn themselves in in many cases. I now know the answer - boredom.

I am in a one room house in an uninteresting location. I have not been outdoors for 5 days. I have no cable or satellite TV and I have three DVDs - "The Human Stain", "Tierra" and "Naked". I have no books. I do have an Ipad but no charger. They are difficult to get in this country. I have 21% charge remaining - I have been rationing. Since, in the end, The only person you can trust is yourself, I have had no contact with anyone other than telephone interviews with the press.

The Gsu have issued additional charges but have not divulged what they might be. Having spent one night already sleeping on the concrete floor of the Beluze City jail I am not excited about the prospect of returning. Yes, there are no beds in belize jails. Or toilets. A half cut milk carton serves the purpose. It was tolerable until one A.M. when a drunk was added to the cell and he immediately kicked over the container. Five of us slept crowded together in the least contaminated corner. I was out before dawn so I shouldn't complain.

My lawyers tell me there is absolutely nothing to worry about, so that makes me very worried. They will be negotiating with the government today, if all goes well.

I'm down to 17% charge. I will leave you.

John McAfee, the founder of McAfee Antivirus, posted this to a private message board on May 7th; his home in Belize had just been raided by local law enforcement, he'd been rousted from the bed he shared with a 17 year old woman, naked and confused, to discover Belize's Gang Suppression Unit at his gates. They shot and killed his dog, and arrested him for possessing an illegal firearm. They arrested a few of his employees too. He went on the lam.

You might've heard the news reports; this is his side of the story.

Buckle up. It's crazy.

McAfee is most famous for creating the antivirus software you know so well. But that was another life. Another time. After cashing out of the software business, he went on to found a company that attempted to launch a next generation antibiotic (of uncertain effectiveness) headquartered in Belize. That company cratered when its chief scientist left. But McAfee stayed behind, operating a ferry and a bar. He had, in a literal sense, gone to the woods.

And then, on the morning of May 4, he awoke to the sound of bullhorns.

"I jumped out of bed, I'm naked, I ran out on the porch where I could see troops with automatic weapons and in their assault stance, the low walk, definitely agressive hostile movement," he said via telephone from an undisclosed location in Belize. "I went inside, puts some pants on, came back out and was shoved up against the wall. And that began my day. As I was being handcuffed I could see out of the corner of my eye the fire axes with which they were busting down doors—which were not locked by the way—and ransacking."

The motivation behind the raid on McAfee's home still aren't completely clear. According to McAfee, the warrant claimed he was operating a meth lab; but no one in an official capacity with the government of Belize will confirm that—or even that there was a raid, for that matter. We spent hours on the phone trying to find out what happened, bouncing from one police official to another—from a terribly reluctant and somewhat suspicious police sergeant, to an extremely reticent and annoyed police press officer, to an eager-to-get-off-the-phone and highly aggravated assistant police commissioner. Despite the very basic nature of the questions nobody would provide answers. Even Belize's Embassy in Washington D.C. was unhelpful.

The one person in an official law enforcement capacity willing to talk was only willing to do so off the record, and only on a conversation held on his "burner" cell phone that made it impossible to verify his identity. And all he was willing to say was that McAfee had been arrested and that a firearms charge was still under investigation. Which of course, we already knew.

There is, perhaps, a likely explanation for all this reluctance to say anything.

"All the phones in Belize are tapped. All telephone conversations are recorded and kept for two years. This conversation is being recorded as we speak," McAfee said. This sounds like the paranoia of a man who had recently been incarcerated, but is—believe it or not—actually quite plausible. Whether or not the government is actually listening, it has put legal mechanisms in place that certainly would enable it to do so. In short, nobody's talking.

So welcome to Belize. Meet your guide: John McAfee.

Now, look, John McAfee is a weird guy. Let's get that out of the way. He's wiry and covered in tribal tattoos and lives in the jungle, for crying out loud. He's had some dubious business ventures, and is possibly living abroad to hide from a lawsuit here in the States. Yet while McAfee may not be the world's most reliable narrator, he is also not a meth-lab operator. And in any case, he has a hell of a tale.

"I was arrested and charged with the possession of an illegal firearm," McAfee told us, "but I had licenses for all the others, nine or ten, why would I choose not to license one of them? And in any case, my people found the original paperwork, took it down to the station, and even then they didn't let me out. It required the intervention of the U.S. Embassy to get them to drop the charges and release me. The following day [the police] issued a statement saying I was running an illegal antibiotics laboratory—in the third world such a thing is a serious crime, the drug companies don't particularly like people interfering with their business. But basically what I developed is a topical antiseptic. They did not charge me for that. That's what they claimed was my meth lab."

So why did the police go looking for a meth lab on McAfee's property in the first place? Nobody who knows is talking, which just leaves room for a bunch of Yankee speculation.

"I don't have any general information about his case," says Eric Heyden, public affairs officer for the American Embassy in Belize, "I am as perplexed and confused as you are as to why the gang suppression unit would be taking action about a private American citizen."

According to Heyden, gangs are a real and serious problem, especially in Belize City, where people are routinely shot in inter-gang conflict. The GSU is a reaction to that, formed in 2010 to try to combat the growing violence in this country of 300,000.

Yet there is ample evidence that it is now taking part in extra-judicial activities. Heyden told about a recent arrest where the suspect died in custody, allegedly breaking his neck while trying to escape before an autopsy revealed he had been beaten to death. The media in Belize has accused the unit of random acts of violence, and of being an enforcement arm of a political party, the United Democratic Party. McAfee sees a connection.

"I did not donate to a local politician and he was very irate," he explains. "it was simply a message saying ‘look don't mess with us and when we ask you for something, give it to us.'"

McAfee is in limbo. He's not in hiding any longer, but he also hasn't returned home and, in his words, is keeping a low profile. There is, very literally, no telling what will come next. Fitzroy Yearwood, the press officer for the police force in Belize, refused to answer any questions other than via email, and failed to reply to those submitted in writing. Attempts to reach anyone in the government who could answer questions as to why the raid went down, or what was coming next were unsuccessful. Requests to speak to GSU boss Marco Vidal, or Belize Police Commissioner Gerald Westby were refused.

For his part, McAfee is fighting. "I don't back down from things," says McAfee. "I'm 66 years old, my life is very dull normally."

Bullshit. Of all the things McAfee's life may be, dull is not one of them

Hiding in plain sight then on Ambergris Caye, dining out in public, where, there is electric, internet, satelitte tv and cable, and operational as long as you pay your bills for their usage. And any of those restaurants have power to recharge an ipad and there are scores and scores of people on the caye with ipad chargers to borrow from. Sounding like a script for a bad movie to me. John, let me be neighborly and generous with good advice; hire either Eammon Courtenay or Denys Barrow as attorneys to guide you thru this. You'll accomplish much more working thru the system here than whining on internet to people who can't do a thing to resolve this issue. And if you really need a place to stay with power, internet, cable, etc, I'll be more than happy to book you at any one of many room options anywhere in Belize at my cost, less my commission. They call the jail in Belize City the [#%!] House for a reason. I've been (as a visitor) and would not want to spend a night there. I think thats one of the few places in Belize without internet, cable tv and outlets to recharge ipads.

Secrets, Schemes, and Lots of Guns: Inside John McAfee’s Heart of Darkness

As dawn broke over the interior of Belize on April 30, an elite team of 42 police and soldiers, including members of the country’s SWAT team and Special Forces, converged on a compound on the banks of a jungle river. Within, all was quiet. The police called out through a bullhorn that they were there looking for illegal firearms and narcotics, then stormed in, breaking open doors with sledgehammers, handcuffing four security guards, and shooting a guard dog dead. The compound’s owner, a 67-year-old white American man, emerged bleary-eyed from his bedroom with a 17-year-old Belizean girl. The police cuffed him and took him away, along with his guards.

Inside, the cops found $20,000 in cash, a lab stocked with chemistry equipment, and a small armory’s worth of firearms: seven pump-action shotguns, one single-action shotgun, two 9-mm. pistols, 270 shotgun cartridges, 30 9-mm. pistol rounds, and twenty .38 rounds. Vexingly for the police, all of this was actually legal. The guns were licensed and the lab appeared not to be manufacturing drugs but an herbal antibacterial compound.

After fourteen hours, the police let the man and his employees go, but remained convinced they had missed something. Why else would a wealthy American playboy hole himself up out here, far from the tourist zone on the coast, by a navigable river that happened to connect, twenty miles downstream, with a remote corner of the Mexican border? Why else would he hire, as head of security, a rogue cop who’d once plotted to steal guns from the police and sell them to drug traffickers?

It’s not too unusual for eccentric gringos to wind up in Central America and slowly turn stranger—”Rich white men who come to Belize and act strangely are kind of a type,” one local journalist told me. But this one’s story is more peculiar than most. John McAfee is a founding father of the anti-virus software industry, an inveterate self-promoter who built an improbable web security empire on the principles of trust and reliability, then poured his start-up fortune into a series of sprawling commune-like retreats, presenting himself in the public eye as a paragon of engaged, passionate living: “Success, for me,” he has said, “is being able to wake up in the morning and feel like a 12 year old.” But down in Belize, McAfee the enlightened Peter Pan seems to have refashioned himself into a kind of final-reel Scarface.

***

ONE DAY THIS past spring, shortly before the police raid, I paid a visit to McAfee. I’d known John personally for five years, having first met him when I traveled to his ranch in rural New Mexico, an adventure-sports reporter who found him to be a genuinely charismatic entrepreneur and thrill-seeker. By now, though, I’d become convinced he was a compulsive liar if not an outright psychopath, albeit one whose life as a thrill-seeking serial entrepreneur was as entertaining for me to follow as it was amusing for him to perform.

By the time I’d arrived in country, I’d heard that his circumstances had soured since we’d last been in touch—that his business relationships had fallen apart and he’d become estranged even from the other caution-to-the-wind expats in Belize. “He is one strange cookie,” a British hostel owner told me.

At the time, he was in residence not at his compound in the interior, near the town of Orange Walk, but at his beachfront property on the tourist-friendly island of Ambergris Caye. I pulled up in a golf cart to the rear entrance to his home and found him sitting by a pool overlooking the ocean—trim, tanned, and relaxed in flip-flops, cargo shorts, and frosted hair. As usual, he wore a goatee and a sleeveless T-shirt that showed off the tattoos that ran up his arms and over his back, with sunglasses on Croakies around his neck. He invited me to sit with him in a screened-in porch. Two young Belizean women lounged in the adjacent living room.

It was a pretty palatial setup, but his only companions these days, he told me, were the locals who work for him. Out on the patio, a dark-skinned man appeared and began cleaning the pool. Another man wearing a crisp uniform positioned himself nearby. He carried a holstered pistol awkwardly in front of him. I intuited that the gun was being brandished for my benefit, and I told McAfee that it made me nervous.

“Well, he’s a security guard!” McAfee hopped up and called to the women inside. “Hey girls, you’ve been by my house in Orange Walk, right? How many security guards do I have there?” Five, the girls said. “Did they carry guns?” Yes, the girls said. “Serious guns?” Yeah!

“When I was here before,” I said, “no one was carrying a gun.”
“Well, that was a long time ago.”
“And do you think things have changed since then?”
“The economy is going south,” he said. “As the economy goes south, petty theft begins. And then grand theft. And then muggings. And the next thing you know, you murder someone for twenty dollars.”

He explained that the country’s crime rate was a result of its terrible economic condition. “People in this country starve! And not just a few. Almost everybody has gone through periods of starvation. You won’t find a single person who has not at one point lost their hair. This is a sign of advanced malnutrition.” Belize is a relatively prosperous part of Central America, not some civil-war-wracked wasteland in the Horn of Africa, but I kept my peace.

He opened the current issue of the Belize Times, holding the paper down with one arm to keep it from blowing away, and showed me a photo of two men. “I am the only white man in Orange Walk, and I was stupid enough to build right next to the highway, where people could see that I have stuff,” he said. “So there have been, in the last year alone, eleven attempts to kidnap or kill me.”

Before I could ask how, McAfee had gone on to tell me a story about a Belizean gangster named Eddie “Mac-10″ McKoy. According to McAfee, Mac-10 wanted to kill him. “I’m an older dude, and somewhat smarter than him,” McAfee said. “I tracked him down and forced him to the bargaining table. And we had this big meeting here in San Pedro, and Eddie and I came to an agreement.” I took this to mean that he was paying McKoy protection money, but while I was trying to sort it out one of the Belizean women interrupted us, appearing with a tall glass of orange liquid. He sniffed it suspiciously, like he had no idea what it might be. He offered it to me, then after I declined drank it himself.

Some time later, he continued, he learned of another plot on his life. (Why he thought everyone was so hell-bent on killing him, rather than just taking his money, was unclear.) A group of attackers, including two police officers, was planning to force his car off the road one night, he said, take him back to his compound with a gun to his head, and force the guards to open the gate. They would then kill McAfee and the guards and make off with the $100,000 cash he was rumored to keep at his property. Fortunately, McAfee said, McKoy intervened.

McAfee was proudest of the way he’d responded to his would-be killers: He hired them. “Everyone who has tried to rob me, kill me, works for me now,” he declared. This was not just good hacker logic, he explained, but a kind of public service. “None of these people are responsible, because they can’t work. At some point, you’ve got to stop living for yourself. We as Americans have ripped off the world. We get to throw food away. It’s insane.”

He jumped up and called to the women inside: “Have you ever thrown food away?” Getting no answer, he continued: “The idea is so alien you don’t even comprehend it, right?”

He remained standing. We’d been talking for an hour, and I sensed the interview was over. I thanked McAfee for his hospitality, and asked if I could reciprocate by buying him dinner. He looked at me incredulously. “Haven’t you been listening to me? I can’t leave my home after dark.”

***

IN THE LATE EIGHTIES, as computers were starting to become common in American homes, fears began to circulate of malicious rogue programs that could spread from machine to machine. Where many saw an emerging hazard, McAfee recognized opportunity. A software engineer working for Lockheed, he obtained a copy of an early virus, the so-called “Pakistani Brain,” and hired coders to write a program that neutralized it. It was a prescient move, but what he did next was truly inspired: He let everyone download the McAfee security software for free. Soon he had millions of users and was charging corporate clients a licensing fee. By his third year, he was pulling in millions in profit.

The anti-virus program wasn’t McAfee’s first entrepreneurial venture. As a young man, he’d traveled through Mexico, sleeping in a van, buying stones and silver, and making jewelry to sell to tourists. Later, during the AIDS panic in San Francisco, he sold identity cards certifying bearers as HIV-free. His freewheeling approach carried over to his Silicon Valley operation. Employees practiced sword-fighting and conducted Wiccan rituals at lunchtime. One long-running office game awarded employees points for having sex in different spots around the office. McAfee himself was an alcoholic and heavy drug user. (After a 1993 heart attack, at the age of 47, he became an aggressive teetotaler.)

In early 1992, he went on national TV and declared that as many as five million computers could soon be hijacked by a particularly dangerous virus called Michelangelo. McAfee sales skyrocketed, but the date of the supposed onslaught came and went without incident. “It was the biggest nonevent since Geraldo broke into Al Capone’s tomb,” complained ZDNet. Forced from his management role, McAfee cashed out his stake in the company, earning $100 million.

Cast adrift, McAfee gave himself over to the life of a wealthy adventure seeker. He raced ATVs (crashing a dozen or so) and made open-ocean crossings by Jet Ski (often they sunk en route). He poured millions into a 280-acre yoga retreat in the mountains above Woodland, Colorado, where every Sunday morning he would hold complimentary classes. “Everything was free,” recalls a former student. “You would think that this guy was amazingly generous and kind, but he was getting something out of it. He was interested in being the center of attention. He was surrounded by people around him who didn’t have any money and were depending on him, and he could control them.” Among the entourage was a teenage employee named Jennifer Irwin, whom McAfee began dating.

Growing bored with ashram life, McAfee invented a new pastime called “aerotrekking,” which involved flying tiny aircraft very low over remote stretches of desert. Experienced pilots called the practice inherently dangerous, but McAfee found it exhilarating. He brought a cadre of followers, including Irwin, with him down to Rodeo, New Mexico, where he bought a ranch with an airstrip and spent millions adding lavish amenities—a cinema, a general store, a fleet of vintage cars. He started calling his entourage the Sky Gypsies. McAfee took pains not to portray himself their leader, but it was clear that he was the one who paid the bills and called the shots. When he talked, no one interrupted.

This is where I first met McAfee, as a reporter dispatched to write about his ambitions to turn aerotrekking into a new national pastime. He put me up in a bedroom in his ranch house, and we awoke before dawn to walk to an aircraft hangar filled with small planes. “People are afraid of their own lives,” he said in a cough-syrup baritone. “Shouldn’t your goal be to have a meaningful life? Unknown, mysterious, thrilling?”

Some of his efforts to support his new sport seemed less than kosher. To give aerotrekking an illusion of momentum, he set up a network of fake websites purportedly from aerotrekking clubs scattered around the country. And at the end of my visit, McAfee told me, proudly, of his scheme to distract nearby residents, who had become irritated by the aerotrekking and begun to organize against the company. One of the Sky Gypsies had snuck into the local post office after hours and posted a flyer announcing a national paintball convention coming to town. The flyer promised that hundreds of trigger-happy shooters in camouflage would soon descend en masse and storm through the wilderness. To bolster the hoax, McAfee had set up a fake website promoting the event. The homebrew psy-ops campaign went off without a hitch. By the next day, the town was a beehive of angry protesters, and the aerotrekking issue was forgotten.

In retrospect, it’s startling that McAfee was still so committed to aerotrekking. The year before, his own nephew had been killed in a crash, along with the passenger that he had been carrying. The passenger’s family hired a lawyer and filed a $5 million lawsuit. McAfee started telling reporters that the financial crisis had all but wiped him out, slashing his net worth to $4 million. (Both the New York Times and CNN reported the claim, which he later characterized to me as “not very accurate at all.”) He unloaded all his real estate at fire-sale prices and moved to Belize, having been advised by his lawyers that “a judgment in the States is not valid” there. He obtained residency far more quickly than the one-year minimum waiting time mandated by law. “This is a Third World country,” he told me later, “so I had to bribe a whole bunch of folks.”

Accompanied by a gaggle of hangers-on (including Irwin, by then 28), McAfee settled into a beachside compound on Ambergris Caye. With characteristic gusto he launched a slew of enterprises, including a coffee shop and a high-speed ferry service. Then he met an attractive 31-year-old named Allison Adonizio, a vacationing Harvard biologist. She told him she was working in a new field of microbiology called “anti-quorum sensing”—instead of killing infectious bacteria, she said, certain chemicals can disrupt and neutralize them. She’d already identified one rain-forest plant that was rich in such compounds and believed there must be many more. They could solve the burgeoning global problem of antibiotic resistance, she said. McAfee offered to build her a lab in Belize where she could work with native plants. She flew home, quit her job, and moved down to the jungle.

McAfee’s Next Big Thing was under way. He bought land along the New River, deep in the interior of the country, where he Adonizio would grow the herbs. He also acquired another parcel a few miles downriver, near the town of Orange Walk, where he started building a processing facility. He announced that Adonizio had identified six promising new herbs and invited me down to take a look. This, he said, was the reason he’d come to Belize in the first place: to rid humanity of disease and at the same time to lift Belizeans up from poverty. “I’m 65 years old,” he said. “It’s time to think about what kind of legacy I’m going to leave behind.”

In early 2010, I took a trip to Belize, and once again McAfee welcomed me warmly into his home and treated me as a friend. Strolling around the weed-choked parcel he was cultivating, though, I began to question his claims. The herb, he said, was too fragile to be planted the conventional way, and had to be allowed to grow naturally. But if the plant was too delicate for agriculture, how could he be so sure it would thrive in sufficient quantity to feed his production facility? When I pressed him about it, he suggested that the far-fetchedness of the plan was itself evidence of its legitimacy: “I must either be a fool,” he said, “or I feel extremely secure that I will be shipping goods.”

Midway through my visit the story grew odder still. Adonizio and McAfee told me that, for all the world-changing potential they saw in their anti-quorum sensing project, they’d decided to put it on hold. Instead, they were concentrating on developing and marketing another jungle-herb compound Adonizio had discovered, one that they said boosted female libido.

Back home, I wrote a story that questioned McAfee’s good works, and raised doubts about his motives for being in Belize. After it was published online, McAfee launched a vigorous defense in the comments section, claiming that he’d never shelved the anti-quorum sensing project but had lied to me during my visit because he’d sensed that I’d intended to write a hostile article all along. “I am a practical joker, and I joke no differently with the press than I do with my next-door neighbor,” he wrote. “I’m not saying it’s a particularly adult way of behaving, or business like, or not offensive to some. But it’s me.”

At first Adonizio supported McAfee’s claims in the comments section. “I felt a bit uncomfortable (at first) about playing our joke on Jeff,” she wrote. “However, after reading the piece, I understand why John had wanted us to keep things under wraps. Jeff was there on day one with the intent to write something sensational. John kept saying: ‘an aggressor with no humor deserves no leniency.’”

Then, four months later, she contacted me by email. “Remember me?” she wrote. “I’ll just be blunt. I was naive about who and what Mr. McAfee really is.”

She explained that before my arrival she had not, as they’d previously claimed, found any new antibiotic compounds. She had only the one that she’d been working on at Harvard, and it was already under patent, and so could not be developed for sale. “We really didn’t have anything when you came down,” Adonizio said. McAfee decided the libido drug, which originally had been mooted as a joke, could serve as a plausible alternative in the meantime. She played along with his hoax, she said, only at McAfee’s insistence.

Amid the article’s fallout, their relationship had become tense. He showed her websites devoted to various kinds of outré kink, and became increasingly open, when his girlfriend Irwin was out of town, about bringing prostitutes off the street and into his bedroom. (One day Adonizio came upon “literally a garbage bag full of Viagra.”) After she’d broken up with a boyfriend on the mainland, “he kept trying to set me up with these weird friends that were into polyamory and crazy kinky stuff,” she said. “He tried to convince me that love doesn’t exist, so I might as well just give in and sleep with all these crazy circus folk.” He liked to hint that he had connections to dangerous criminals, implying that he could have her ex-boyfriend killed: “I have someone who can take care of that,” he told her.

When at last she decided she’d had enough and asked McAfee to buy out her share of the company, he exploded, she says, screaming and lunging at her. She fled and locked herself in the lab. McAfee pounded on the door and shouted obscenities. Afraid for her safety, Adonizio called a friend to escort her off the property. The next day, she boarded a flight back home to Pennsylvania.

Even at thousands of miles away, she said, she felt frightened that he might do her harm. “As soon as I started questioning his motives, he turned on me and became a horrible, horrible person, controlling, manipulative and dangerous,” she told me. “I’m thankful that I got out with my life.”

In the wake of Adonizio’s departure, McAfee grew more isolated. An investor who’d wanted to back the anti-quorum-sensing venture backed away. A joint-venture agreement with Dr. Louis Zabaneh, one of the country’s most powerful men, fell apart. The hangers-on drifted away. After 14 years, Irwin left him. McAfee spent most of his time in Orange Walk, where he’d expanded the rickety herb-processing facility into a small walled fortress. “what i experienced out @ his property made me wanna get the [#%!] outta dodge,” an associate e-mailed Adonizio, “creepy, and a bit scary. and i don’t scare easily … i have a feeling he’s in some deep shit down there.”

***

I DIDN’T MAKE IT BACK to Orange Walk during my visit in April, but I was tense throughout our meeting in Ambergis Caye, even though McAfee insisted he bore me no hard feelings and had in fact liked the last article: “I thought it was well written,” he said.

When I asked him about why Adonizio was unhappy about her time with him in Belize, he seemed exasperated. “Allison is an unhappy person who is unhappy to the core,” he told me. “Whatever’s on the table, she will turn it this way, that way, and make something out of it, to be the cause of her unhappiness.”

And what about his lack of friends in the expat community? “I don’t need friends,” he said. “What does friendship actually mean? It’s a commitment to an idea that just doesn’t interest me.”

A moment later he paused and said, “I’m going to tell you the truth, for once.” Then he seemed to get distracted, and made a phone call. The next day, he sent an e-mail inviting me to come back for another visit: He’d forgotten that he’d wanted to tell me that very important, he wrote, which he was only willing to impart in person. I had an eerie, inexplicable feeling that the thing he wanted to tell me was that he’d ordered my murder. I waited to call him until I was back in the States, and when he heard that I was already home, his tone was brusque: “I’m really not interested in chatting over the phone about things that are dear to my heart,” he said.

Two weeks later, the police raided his compound. In the process they validated what I had taken to be some of McAfee’s most far-fetched assertions. Superintendent Marco Vidal confirmed to me that, indeed, several members of his security force were known criminals, and that McKoy was a gang leader of some note. “McKoy is a member of one of the factions of the Bloods Gang,” Vidal wrote me in an e-mail. “We know of a meeting between McKoy and McAfee at his café in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye in which McAfee was flanked by the two leaders of the most notorious and violent gang operating in Belize City. At that meeting McAfee also took along a Police Officer. We believe that his intention was to make it categorically clear to McKoy that he controlled both the legitimate and the illegitimate armed forces.”

In the wake of his arrest, McAfee was nervous enough about the police investigation that he sent two employees to solicit an officer for inside information. Both were arrested for attempted bribery. McAfee then sent another Belizean on the same mission. He, too, was arrested.

McAfee’s world seemed to be imploding. In late May, Gizmodo posted the text of a message that McAfee had put up on a private discussion board. In it, he described being on the lam from the police. “I am in a one room house in an uninteresting location,” he wrote. “I have not been outdoors for 5 days.” He added that he was posting from an iPad but didn’t have a charger, and the battery only had a 21 percent charge remaining. He described his run-in with the police, then signed off with this: “I’m down to 17% charge. I will leave you.”

But just a few days later, residents spotted McAfee driving a golf cart around Ambergris Caye with a new 17-year-old girlfriend, apparently in good cheer. I dropped him a line, and his reply was upbeat. “Things are getting back to normal,” he wrote. “I’m just waiting for a few properties to sell then I’m off to the South Pacific. No doubt to new adventures…”

In the weeks that followed, he didn’t decamp for the South Seas. Instead, he took to walking around San Pedro wearing a pistol in a holster, in violation of Belizean gun laws. Then, in late July, McAfee appeared in an article in Westword, an alternative weekly based in Denver, describing his latest business venture—According to McAfee, it is called “observational yoga,” and involves sitting in comfortable chairs and watching other people perform asanas. Thanks to its numerous health benefits, McAfee said, “it’s very popular” in Belize and he planned to franchise the concept around the country.

“It would be very difficult to sell this concept in America,” he admitted. “But here I can make any kind of outrageous claim that I choose.”

Click here for the article in GIZMODO