At around 2:15 PM EDT Tuesday, Rob Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Loggia-Ramirez, campaign manager for John McAfee, took over the presidential candidate’s Twitter. He released a number of tweets that suggest McAfee is now in custody of a government agency. He left the United States several months ago as a result of the IRS pursuing him on tax evasion charges. McAfee had previously spent several weeks in Cuba before fleeing the country by ship. On the ship prior to reaching Cuba, he launched a presidential campaign but insisted that Americans vote for themselves, rather than him. He has not disclosed his location since, asserting that he has been on the run.

John McAfee Captured?

(1/4) This is @loggiaonfire again. I have good reason to suspect that John McAfee, @theemrsmcafee and other companions have been detained by authorities at their latest port of call. I will be operating this account providing updates as they become possible. — John McAfee (@officialmcafee) July 23, 2019

Loggia-Ramirez stated that he last spoke to McAfee as the government officials forcibly boarded his vessel. After they found him, they cut off communications. Loggia-Ramirez has not heard from McAfee since. Despite this, he is under the impression that they are treating him poorly. He claims that during the video call, the agents refused to give the fugitive a cigarette.

Last Friday, McAfee posted a picture to Twitter with his wife, Janice. The two held guns and stated that the CIA had attempted (and failed) to collect them, but they were going dark again for safety.

A Data Dump?

In recent tweets, John McAfee has claimed to possess mass amounts of files with scandals about the United States government, among other entities. He has also insisted that the U.S. has spread false information about poverty in Cuba, intentionally overexaggerating the problem.

If authorities do not release the man, Loggia-Ramirez warns, the information McAfee possesses may go public. Though the campaign manager claims not to know their whereabouts, he believes that they will “release their payloads” if McAfee does not successfully make it to his next check-in.

(3/4) If John misses his next check-in, events will be set into motion that I cannot prevent once they have begun. John has secreted data with individuals across the world. I know neither their identities or locations. They will release their payloads if John goes missing. — John McAfee (@officialmcafee) July 23, 2019

This story is developing and will continually update as more information becomes available.

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