Kim Dotcom Set for Extradition by 'US colony'
The founder of Megaupload is set to confront what he describes as politically motivated copyright infringement charges, following a legal struggle that has lasted 15 years. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The founder of Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, has been facing copyright infringement charges since 2012, and recent developments have culminated in the New Zealand government signing extradition orders for him. This decision concludes a lengthy legal struggle and paves the way for his potential extradition to the United States for a trial.
The U.S. government has accused Dotcom, an internet entrepreneur, of various serious offenses, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, and conspiring to launder money. In defense, Dotcom has maintained that his company should not be held responsible for the actions of its users.
“I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial,” announced Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith on Thursday. “As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage.”
Prior to the formal announcement, Dotcom appeared to be informed about the decision and expressed his views on social media, posting on X that “The obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload.”
Originally from Germany, Dotcom launched Megaupload in 2005 and relocated to New Zealand in 2010. His platform facilitated user uploads and content sharing but was shut down following an FBI seizure in 2012.
The U.S. alleges that Dotcom, along with three other officers from Megaupload, caused over $500 million in damages to film and music industries by promoting the sharing of copyrighted content.
A strong supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Dotcom has positioned himself as an advocate for free speech, claiming that the charges against him are “politically motivated” and representative of “weaponized lawfare.”
In 2017, he pointed out that New Zealand’s legal framework clearly indicates that a platform cannot be held criminally liable for its users’ actions. By 2020, the courts decided that the four defendants could only be extradited on copyright infringement charges, excluding money laundering, which Dotcom termed “a mixed bag.”
Two of his co-defendants, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk, reached plea agreements with the New Zealand government to avoid extradition and were sentenced to prison in 2023. The fourth executive, Chief Marketing Officer Finn Batato, passed away in 2022.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
The U.S. government has accused Dotcom, an internet entrepreneur, of various serious offenses, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, and conspiring to launder money. In defense, Dotcom has maintained that his company should not be held responsible for the actions of its users.
“I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial,” announced Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith on Thursday. “As is common practice, I have allowed Mr Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage.”
Prior to the formal announcement, Dotcom appeared to be informed about the decision and expressed his views on social media, posting on X that “The obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload.”
Originally from Germany, Dotcom launched Megaupload in 2005 and relocated to New Zealand in 2010. His platform facilitated user uploads and content sharing but was shut down following an FBI seizure in 2012.
The U.S. alleges that Dotcom, along with three other officers from Megaupload, caused over $500 million in damages to film and music industries by promoting the sharing of copyrighted content.
A strong supporter of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Dotcom has positioned himself as an advocate for free speech, claiming that the charges against him are “politically motivated” and representative of “weaponized lawfare.”
In 2017, he pointed out that New Zealand’s legal framework clearly indicates that a platform cannot be held criminally liable for its users’ actions. By 2020, the courts decided that the four defendants could only be extradited on copyright infringement charges, excluding money laundering, which Dotcom termed “a mixed bag.”
Two of his co-defendants, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk, reached plea agreements with the New Zealand government to avoid extradition and were sentenced to prison in 2023. The fourth executive, Chief Marketing Officer Finn Batato, passed away in 2022.
Rohan Mehta contributed to this report for TROIB News
