The answer to this question differs depending on when we find John McAfee in his life. According to an August 2009 article in the New York Times, McAfee was once worth $100 million until the 2008 recession hit. When that was all said and done, he was worth $4 million after the housing market crash.

"I had no clue that there would be this tandem collapse," he told the outlet while preparing to auction off property in order to pay bills.

McAfee founded his company in 1987 but stepped down in 1994. Sixteen years later it would be acquired by Intel for $7.68 billion, per The Verge. Naturally he didn't see a dime of that money, or the $14 billion shelled out by an investor group in November 2021. Things went south for McAfee, emotionally, professionally, and literally, after his retirement.