Software pioneer John McAfee has filed to run for U.S. president on the Libertarian Party ticket.
McAfee, 74, has teased a presidential run for months on his Twitter feed. Paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday designates his candidacy and his campaign, McAfee in 2020.
McAfee’s presidential run is complicated as he says he is hiding from U.S. federal authorities for allegedly committing “criminal acts against the U.S. government” with cryptocurrencies. In a video posted on Twitter on Jan. 22, McAfee said the brunt of his on-the-ground campaigning would be done by people wearing masks of his face.
“Rob [Loggia] and one of our other volunteers are creating masks of my face which are going to be given to thousands of people in two different groups,” McAfee said. “Our road warriors who, once a month, are going to appear in parks, street corners, restaurants all around America while I speak through loudspeakers through them.”
McAfee also said some volunteers would go to conferences and other events while wearing a camera for McAfee to see and speak through. McAfee will conduct his presidential race largely from his boat that he is living on and sailing around the world as he allegedly evades U.S. authorities.
“I will be going to conferences as a surrogate. I will be looking at people through a camera, answering questions, shaking hands as I tell my surrogate to shake hands, and speaking,” McAfee said.
McAfee founded the software company McAfee Associates in 1987. He resigned from the company in 1994. He worked for various other technology and software companies after and at one time was worth as much as $100 million. After the 2008 economic recession, his net worth dropped significantly to about $4 million.
McAfee is an eager supporter of the growth of cryptocurrencies. He says that widespread adoption of the cybercurrency would prevent governments from collecting taxes and eventually force them to downsize.
