Kim Dotcom, a German entrepreneur, may soon be extradited from New Zealand to the United States after years of legal resistance. The New Zealand government has moved forward with the decision to extradite him to face charges in the U.S.
Extradition order signed by New Zealand
New Zealand is set to extradite the German internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom to the United States. On August 15, several media outlets reported that New Zealand’s Justice Minister, Paul Goldsmith, has signed an extradition order for Dotcom.
Dotcom is the founder of the file-hosting services “Megaupload” and “Mega.” These platforms allowed users to upload and download files directly without registration. In the past, these services were used extensively for illegal sharing of music and movies.
The U.S. authorities accuse Dotcom of causing $500 million in damages to film studios and record companies through “Megaupload” and generating over $175 million in revenue from the site. They also accuse him of copyright infringement, fraud, and money laundering. Dotcom has consistently denied all charges.
Kim Dotcom’s response to extradition
Kim Dotcom, who was born in Germany and has lived in New Zealand since 2010, has been fighting his extradition to the United States since 2012. This legal battle began after the FBI conducted a raid on his home in Auckland, leading to the shutdown of “Megaupload” by U.S. authorities. Despite his efforts, the extradition now seems imminent.
“I have carefully reviewed all the information and decided that Mr. Dotcom should be extradited to the United States to stand trial,” Justice Minister Goldsmith stated. “As is customary, I have given Mr. Dotcom a short period to reconsider my decision and seek legal advice.”
In response, Dotcom posted on the platform X: “I love New Zealand. I’m not going anywhere,” adding a kiss emoji to his message.
Legal actions against Megaupload associates
Other “Megaupload” employees have also been targeted by the justice system. The company’s marketing chief, Finn Batato, and technical director and co-founder, Mathias Ortmann, both from Germany, along with a third senior employee, the Dutchman Bram van der Kolk, were arrested alongside Dotcom in 2012. Ortmann and van der Kolk reached a settlement that allowed them to serve prison sentences in New Zealand in 2023 without being extradited. Batato passed away in New Zealand in 2022.
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