Megaupload’s Kim Dotcom nears US trial after decadelong extradition saga
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)
Kim Dotcom, the founder of the defunct file-sharing site Megaupload, is closer to facing trial in the United States. After years of legal battles, New Zealand’s Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith signed an extradition order. The case dates back to 2012.
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New Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on CNNInternet mogul Kim Dotcom to be extradited to the US, NZ justice minister says
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with U.S.
Click to see story on NBC NewsKim Dotcom: New Zealand wants to extradite the internet entrepreneur to the USA
Click to see story on SpiegelKim Dotcom is being Megauploaded to the US for trial
Click to see story on The VergeKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on ReutersNew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KIFINew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KRDONew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KVIAKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on VOA NewsMegaupload’s Kim Dotcom to be extradited to United States
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on WTVBKim Dotcom is reportedly to be extradited to the USA
Click to see story on zdf.deKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on The Straits TimesKim Dotcom commented on the report of a possible extradition to the United States
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]Kim Dotcom to be extradited after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on The West AustralianRight
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Kim Dotcom to be extradited after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on PerthNowIllegal file sharing operator handed over to US authorities
Click to see story on Magyar NemzetThe founder of Megaupload may go to American prison
Click to see story on 24 HUMegaupload’s Kim Dotcom to be extradited to the US after 12 years on the run
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.czMegaupload: New Zealand wants to extradite Kim Dotcom to the USA
Click to see story on HeiseGolem.de: IT news for professionals
Click to see story on golem.deKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on Blue Water Healthy LivingNew Zealand has decided to extradite Megaupload founder Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on RTVIDotcom’s legal issues began when U.S. authorities accused Megaupload of facilitating massive piracy, costing film studios and record companies more than $500 million. The platform allowed users to upload and share files, and it generated about $175 million in revenue before it was shut down.
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In 2012, New Zealand police acting on FBI orders raided Dotcom’s Auckland mansion with 70 officers. The raid, captured on video, was later turned into a widely publicized YouTube video.
Dotcom described the raid as a “Hollywood-style publicity stunt,” excessive for his arrest. He eventually reached a settlement with New Zealand police but has continued to face charges of copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering.
“I considered all of the information carefully and decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the U.S. to face trial,” Goldsmith said in a statement on his ruling to allow extradition.
Dotcom, criticizing the decision on social media, described it as an act of compliance by “the obedient U.S. colony in the South Pacific.”
Dotcom, a German-born New Zealand resident, faces 13 charges in the U.S. Two of his colleagues, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk, avoided extradition by accepting plea deals that resulted in prison terms in New Zealand in 2023. Another executive, Finn Batato, passed away in 2022.
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U.S. authorities claim that Dotcom and his executives encouraged users to store and share copyrighted material, significantly impacting the entertainment industry.
As the extradition process progresses, Dotcom has vowed to appeal the decision, maintaining that he was being penalized for the actions of Megaupload’s users, not his own.
[KARAH RUCKER]
KIM DOTCOM, THE FOUNDER OF THE NOW-DEFUNCT FILE-SHARING GIANT MEGAUPLOAD, IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO FACING TRIAL IN THE UNITED STATES. AFTER YEARS OF LEGAL BATTLES, NEW ZEALAND’S JUSTICE MINISTER SIGNED AN ORDER FOR DOTCOM’S EXTRADITION — A CASE THAT DATES BACK TO 2012.
HIS ATTORNEYS SAY HE’S BEING EXTRADITED FOR ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY MEGAUPLOAD USERS — RATHER THAN HIS OWN ACTIONS AND VOWED TO APPEAL THE DECISION.
DOTCOM’S LEGAL SAGA BEGAN WHEN U.S. AUTHORITIES ACCUSED MEGAUPLOAD OF FACILITATING MASSIVE PIRACY — REPORTEDLY COSTING FILM STUDIOS AND RECORD COMPANIES OVER $500 MILLION. THE PLATFORM, WHICH ALLOWED USERS TO UPLOAD AND SHARE FILES, BECAME A HOTSPOT FOR PIRATED CONTENT, GENERATING AROUND $175 MILLION IN REVENUE BEFORE IT WAS SHUT DOWN.
IN 2012, NEW ZEALAND POLICE — ACTING ON FBI ORDERS — STORMED DOTCOM’S AUCKLAND MANSION IN A DRAMATIC 70-OFFICER RAID — FOOTAGE SO SENSATIONAL HE TURNED IT INTO A WIDELY-PUBLICIZED YOUTUBE VIDEO.
DOTCOM CALLED IT A “HOLLYWOOD-STYLE PUBLICITY STUNT,” CLAIMING IT WAS FAR BEYOND WHAT WAS NECESSARY FOR HIS ARREST. WHILE HE LATER REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH NEW ZEALAND POLICE – HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SHAKE THE CHARGES RELATED TO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, MONEY LAUNDERING, AND RACKETEERING.
THE GERMAN-BORN RESIDENT OF NEW ZEALAND, FACES 13 CHARGES IN THE U-S.
TWO OF HIS COLLEAGUES AVOIDED EXTRADITION BY ACCEPTING PLEA DEALS AND SERVING PRISON TERMS IN NEW ZEALAND. A THIRD EXECUTIVE PASSED AWAY IN 2022.
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Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
New Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on CNNInternet mogul Kim Dotcom to be extradited to the US, NZ justice minister says
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with U.S.
Click to see story on NBC NewsKim Dotcom: New Zealand wants to extradite the internet entrepreneur to the USA
Click to see story on SpiegelKim Dotcom is being Megauploaded to the US for trial
Click to see story on The VergeKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on ReutersNew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KIFINew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KRDONew Zealand to extradite internet mogul Kim Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on KVIAKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on VOA NewsMegaupload’s Kim Dotcom to be extradited to United States
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on WTVBKim Dotcom is reportedly to be extradited to the USA
Click to see story on zdf.deKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on The Straits TimesKim Dotcom commented on the report of a possible extradition to the United States
Click to see story on RIA Novosti [🇷🇺-affiliated]Kim Dotcom to be extradited after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on The West AustralianRight
Untracked Bias
Kim Dotcom to be extradited after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on PerthNowIllegal file sharing operator handed over to US authorities
Click to see story on Magyar NemzetThe founder of Megaupload may go to American prison
Click to see story on 24 HUMegaupload’s Kim Dotcom to be extradited to the US after 12 years on the run
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.czMegaupload: New Zealand wants to extradite Kim Dotcom to the USA
Click to see story on HeiseGolem.de: IT news for professionals
Click to see story on golem.deKim Dotcom to be extradited from New Zealand after 12-year fight with US
Click to see story on Blue Water Healthy LivingNew Zealand has decided to extradite Megaupload founder Dotcom to the US
Click to see story on RTVIStraight to your inbox.
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