rewrite this title Back From the Dead? John McAfee’s Twitter Used to Promote Solana AI Token – Decrypt

The late cybersecurity mogul and controversial figure, John McAfee, appears to be making an unexpected posthumous return to the crypto space—or so his X account would have people believe.

Early Thursday, McAfee’s X account posted an announcement for “AIntivirus-John McAfee AI incarnate,” an AI-driven token built on the Solana blockchain. The announcement declared: “I’m back with AIntivirus. An AI version of myself. You didn’t think I would miss this cycle, did you?”

The controversial tweet included a link to the project’s website and a purported official contract address.

The crypto community remains unconvinced, raising questions about whether McAfee’s account—or the project—might be compromised or controlled by someone else.

“In a world overrun by surveillance states, corporate greed and digital enslavement, the AIntivirus is the ultimate disrupter,” the project’s official website states.

Blockchain security firm PeckShield initially flagged the account as compromised in a now-deleted tweet. They later walked back the claim, 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 supply of 99,999,870.39 tokens, with 13,956 holders, according to Solscan data.

McAfee’s widow, Janice McAfee, defended the project, claiming it was a tribute to her late husband’s vision of privacy, freedom, and technology.

“Ever since John’s untimely death, I have been looking for ways to honour the genius he was and build on the legacy he left behind,” she wrote on X. “John would have loved this cycle crypto is in and I am happy to have found a project that allows him to participate posthumously.”

Yet, some skeptics, including crypto analyst Adam Cochran, were not convinced. “Not hacked… just an AI grift coin from the account of checks notes …a dead guy,” Cochran posted Thursday.

“McAfee’s wife spells “honor” the American way, not the English way,” Psedyonmous Coinbase ambassador cometcalls noted with skepticism on X. “Either her account is compromised, or she has secret handlers who control the crypto project.”

“Welcome back, John. It’s good to hear from you again,” Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson sarcastically welcomed McAfee back. “You were missed, even if it’s a crude simulacra of your former glory.”

“John being resurrected as a dubious AI crypto scam [is] the most John McAfee thing possible, Hoskinson slammed the late antivirus software magnate. “It’s going to develop a digital drug habit within a week and then start a metaverse called New Belize before escaping to Europe.”

Muddying the waters, there’s now a new X account claiming affiliation with AIntivirus. It emerged within hours of the announcement.

The account cryptically stated, “I stand apart from cults—I’m here to spark thought, not blind following. Stay vigilant and think freely,” responding to user skepticism.

McAfee’s name is undeniably linked to one of the most well-known cybersecurity products in the world.

As the founder of McAfee Antivirus, John McAfee became a pioneer in digital security, earning millions and building a global reputation in the 1980s and 1990s.

However, his life took a sharp turn after selling his stake in the company in 1994, plunging him into legal troubles, tax evasion charges, and international scandals.

His history in the crypto world is equally chaotic, from failed projects like $GHOST to alleged pump-and-dump schemes that netted millions.

He made a notorious $1 million Bitcoin prediction and infamously promised to “eat his dick on live TV” if the price didn’t reach the mark by 2020. Suffice it to say, his reputation remains polarizing.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued the tech mogul in March 2021 for endorsing many crypto initial coin offerings (ICOs) on X without disclosing that he was paid to promote them.

In June 2021, he was found dead in a Spanish prison while awaiting extradition to the U.S. Authorities ruled his death a suicide, though conspiracy theories insist there’s more to the story, as per a CNN report.

Prosecutors accused him of misleading investors and profiting millions through fraudulent crypto promotions before his arrest in Spain on tax evasion charges.

With his Twitter account promoting a new crypto project, many wonder if this is another elaborate scheme exploiting McAfee’s legacy or a genuine attempt to honor his life.

With McAfee’s account claiming, “This is the real deal,” but many people are still expressing doubts, the AIntivirus token adds another chapter to his tumultuous crypto legacy.

Edited by Stacy Elliott.