Kim Dotcom, the founder of the widely known file-sharing platform Megaupload, is set to be delivered to the United States from New Zealand.
Originally from Germany, Dotcom, a resident of New Zealand, has been resisting extradition since 2012, when a raid on his residence in Auckland was conducted at the behest of the FBI.
Facing accusations of violating copyright laws, engaging in money laundering, and participating in racketeering, Dotcom – previously known as Kim Schmitz – and three other high-ranking Megaupload officials, are accused by US authorities of causing over $500 million (£388 million) in losses to film studios and record companies by actively facilitating the storage and sharing of copyrighted material by paying users.
Authorities claim that this illegal activity led to revenue exceeding $175 million (£136 million) for the now-defunct website.
In a message posted on social media platform X, Dotcom expressed, “The compliant US outpost in the South Pacific has chosen to hand me over for content that users uploaded to Megaupload.”
He also reacted to news of his extradition by saying, “Don’t worry, I have a strategy in place.”
New Zealand’s justice minister, Paul Goldsmith, has endorsed the extradition request for Dotcom.
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“I have meticulously evaluated all information and have concluded that Mr. Dotcom should be handed over to the US for trial,” Mr. Goldsmith stated.
“In line with standard procedures, I have allowed Mr. Dotcom a brief period to contemplate and seek counsel on my decision. Consequently, I will refrain from further remarks at this juncture.”
In 2012, Dotcom was apprehended along with Megaupload’s chief marketing officer Finn Batato, co-founder Mathias Ortmann, and executive Bram van der Kolk.
Subsequently, Ortmann and van der Kolk reached plea agreements, resulting in them receiving jail sentences in New Zealand in 2023 but avoiding extradition. Unfortunately, Batato passed away in 2022 in New Zealand.
