The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

POLICE officials have denied allegations made by Bitcoin millionaire John McAfee, who claimed he had bribed a Bahamian officer with $1,000 to secure his weapons back in 2018.

In a series of tweets over the weekend, Mr McAfee alleged he attempted to bring in 31 military firearms into the country.

A video was posted on his Twitter account of him speaking with several Bahamian law enforcement officers, who can be heard questioning Mr McAfee about the weapons found on his yacht.

In the nearly one-minute long video, a policeman informs Mr McAfee that he is only allowed to possess a certain amount of ammunition while in the country.

“What happen now is in the Bahamian law is that you’re allowed three weapons and 250 rounds of ammunition. That would be a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun,” the police officer says in the video.

However, in response, Mr McAfee makes damaging claims about bribing a police sergeant with $1,000 “to take care” of his guns.

“The police sergeant, I gave him $1,000 in cash. He took it gladly and he said to take care of my guns and he said ‘you got it,’” he says in the video.

In a statement released on Sunday in response to the video, police said all officials had acted appropriately in the 2018 incident and noted that the weapons still remain in their custody.

Police also maintained that no cash was exchanged between Mr McAfee and “any of the Bahamian authorities” despite allegations saying otherwise.

“The police are aware of a video circulating on social media where police and customs officials conducted an inspection of a Caucasian male at Bimini during entry to The Bahamas in December 2018,” RBPF officials said in a statement on Sunday.

“Authorities informed the male that he had exceeded the amount of firearms allowed and seized six handguns, six shotguns, six rifles and a large quantity of assorted ammunition. The individual was granted a cruising permit and allowed to leave.

“The weapons remain in the custody of the Bahamian authorities. No cash was exchanged between the male and any of the Bahamian authorities. Both the Bahamas customs and police officers acted appropriated in this incident. The individual never returned to Bimini to collect his weapons and ammunition.”

Last year, Paul Rolle, who was acting deputy commissioner at the time, threatened to take action against Mr McAfee after he made several strong allegations about corruption in the US government and among Bahamian officials.

Mr McAfee, who is described on international news sites as a “fugitive of the law” for US tax evasion, named Commissioner Rolle and former Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel in his tweets.

In response, Commissioner Rolle said he planned to file a lawsuit as the tweets are potentially damaging to his reputation.