The late cybersecurity mogul and controversial determine, John McAfee, seems to be making an sudden posthumous return to the crypto area—or so his X account would have folks consider.
Early Thursday, McAfee’s X account posted an announcement for “AIntivirus-John McAfee AI incarnate,” an AI-driven token constructed on the Solana blockchain. The announcement declared: “I’m again with AIntivirus. An AI model of myself. You didn’t suppose I might miss this cycle, did you?”
The controversial tweet included a hyperlink to the venture’s web site and a purported official contract tackle.
The crypto neighborhood stays unconvinced, elevating questions on whether or not McAfee’s account—or the venture—could be compromised or managed by another person.
“In a world overrun by surveillance states, company greed and digital enslavement, the AIntivirus is the last word disrupter,” the venture’s official web site states.
Blockchain safety agency PeckShield initially flagged the account as compromised in a now-deleted tweet. They later walked again the declare, stating the account was not hacked.
The AIntivirus ($Ainti) token is priced at $0.3326, boasting a market cap of $33,264,756.88 as of press time. It has a provide of 99,999,870.39 tokens, with 13,956 holders, in accordance with Solscan information.
McAfee’s widow, Janice McAfee, defended the venture, claiming it was a tribute to her late husband’s imaginative and prescient of privateness, freedom, and expertise.
“Ever since John’s premature demise, I’ve been in search of methods to honour the genius he was and construct on the legacy he left behind,” she wrote on X. “John would have liked this cycle crypto is in and I’m glad to have discovered a venture that enables him to take part posthumously.”
But, some skeptics, together with crypto analyst Adam Cochran, weren’t satisfied. “Not hacked… simply an AI grift coin from the account of checks notes …a lifeless man,” Cochran posted Thursday.
“McAfee’s spouse spells “honor” the American method, not the English method,” Psedyonmous Coinbase ambassador cometcalls famous with skepticism on X. “Both her account is compromised, or she has secret handlers who management the crypto venture.”
“Welcome again, John. It is good to listen to from you once more,” Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson sarcastically welcomed McAfee again. “You had been missed, even when it is a crude simulacra of your former glory.”
“John being resurrected as a doubtful AI crypto rip-off [is] probably the most John McAfee factor attainable, Hoskinson slammed the late antivirus software program magnate. “It is going to develop a digital drug behavior inside per week after which begin a metaverse referred to as New Belize earlier than escaping to Europe.”
Muddying the waters, there’s now a brand new X account claiming affiliation with AIntivirus. It emerged inside hours of the announcement.
The account cryptically acknowledged, “I stand other than cults—I am right here to spark thought, not blind following. Keep vigilant and suppose freely,” responding to consumer skepticism.
McAfee’s identify is undeniably linked to some of the well-known cybersecurity merchandise on this planet.
Because the founding father of McAfee Antivirus, John McAfee turned a pioneer in digital safety, incomes tens of millions and constructing a worldwide status within the Eighties and Nineties.
Nonetheless, his life took a pointy flip after promoting his stake within the firm in 1994, plunging him into authorized troubles, tax evasion costs, and worldwide scandals.
His historical past within the crypto world is equally chaotic, from failed initiatives like $GHOST to alleged pump-and-dump schemes that netted tens of millions.
He made a infamous $1 million Bitcoin prediction and infamously promised to “eat his dick on dwell TV” if the worth didn’t attain the mark by 2020. Suffice it to say, his status stays polarizing.
The U.S. Securities and Change Fee (SEC) sued the tech mogul in March 2021 for endorsing many crypto preliminary coin choices (ICOs) on X with out disclosing that he was paid to advertise them.
In June 2021, he was discovered lifeless in a Spanish jail whereas awaiting extradition to the U.S. Authorities dominated his demise a suicide, although conspiracy theories insist there’s extra to the story, as per a CNN report.
Prosecutors accused him of deceptive buyers and profiting tens of millions by fraudulent crypto promotions earlier than his arrest in Spain on tax evasion costs.
Together with his Twitter account selling a brand new crypto venture, many marvel if that is one other elaborate scheme exploiting McAfee’s legacy or a real try to honor his life.
With McAfee’s account claiming, “That is the true deal,” however many individuals are nonetheless expressing doubts, the AIntivirus token provides one other chapter to his tumultuous crypto legacy.
Edited by Stacy Elliott.
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