According to a supplemental brief filed wednesday in district court in virginia pdf, defense attorney ira rothken argues that the united states government asked megaupload and kim dotcom to hold on to infringing files so that they could later prosecute the site using that as evidence. The indictment alleges that kim dotcom, aka kim schmitz and kim tim jim vestor, 37, a resident of both hong kong and new zealand headed the criminal enterprise. A new indictment with nine additional charges was filed on thursday against megaupload and its cofounder kim dotcom, adding wire fraud to the. On 19 january 2012 the united states department of justice seized and shut down the filehosting site and commenced criminal cases against its owners and others. The rise and fall of and kim dotcom, and the possible implications for the world of internetbased software piracy and theft of intellectual property less than 24 hours after end of the global sopa protest on the world wide web, on. Shuts down megaupload, charges kim dotcom, 6 others. Indictment charges megaupload with criminal copyright. The site is being described by the flamboyant founder of the controversial megaupload as a.
District court for the eastern district of virginia. Professor lessig from harvard law school provides expert. Should the latest decision stand, justice minister andrew little will have the final say on whether dotcom is extradited. He first rose to fame in germany in the 1990s as an internet entrepreneur. The companys founder, new zealand resident kim dotcom, has denied any wrongdoing, and the case against dotcom has been the subject of controversy over its legality. Sep 22, 2015 its time to get real about kim dotcom. Megaupload, kim dotcom, extradition, extraterritorial jurisidiction. He was a troubled child growing up, and started hacking from. On friday kim dotcom responded to the latest mueller indictments of another 12 russian operatives. Apr 15, 2019 kim dotcom was the founder of file hosting service megaupload 20052012. Jan 20, 2012 the indictment alleges that kim dotcom, aka kim schmitz and kim tim jim vestor, 37, a resident of both hong kong and new zealand headed the criminal enterprise. In 2017, a new zealand judge ruled that dotcom should be extradited to the united states, but dotcom remained at liberty in new zealand pending the results of an appeal. Kim dotcom and megaupload sued for infringement by music labels this article is more than 6 years old riaa civil lawsuit follows mpaa filing, but.
He first rose to fame in germany in the 1990s as an internet entrepreneur, and was convicted on charges of computer fraud in 1994. The site is being described by the flamboyant founder of the controversial megaupload as a success so far, with. The case isnt at trial, and it hasnt even reached discovery yetthis is merely an indictment. Dotcom founded megaupload limited and is the director and sole shareholder of vestor limited, which has been used to hold his ownership interests in the megaaffiliated sites. The megaupload legal case concerns a number of related criminal indictments and enforcement actions taken against megaupload owner kim dotcom in various jurisdictions. The past several years have been a rollercoaster ride for internet mogul kim dotcom. Additional charges filed against megaupload and kim dotcom in. Dotcom is the founder and former ceo of the nowdefunct file hosting service megaupload 20052012. Jan 19, 2012 the grand jury returned the indictment on january 5, 2012. Feds slam megaupload with indictment and racketeering. Since the investigation is continuing, the affiant requests that this search warrant. On july 8, 2010, dotcom sent a link to the story in an email to ortmann and sven echternach, head of business development for megaupload, according to the megaupload superseding indictment.
Dotcoms sworn declaration, entitled declaration of kim dotcom in support of. Born as kim schmitz in west germany, the 42yearold is now dubbed one of the worlds largest tech entrepreneurs. The rise and fall of and kim dotcom, and the possible implications for the world of internetbased software piracy and theft of intellectual property. Ashburn at center of megaupload piracy indictment ashburn. The company was financially successful, but in 2012 the united states department of. Department of justice shut down, one of the worlds largest filesharing websites, on thursday after charging the site and its executives with violation of piracy and. The kim dotcommegaupload saga seems like it will never end. Feb 18, 2012 a new indictment with nine additional charges was filed on thursday against megaupload and its cofounder kim dotcom, adding wire fraud to the allegations, and providing additional details that. Jan 19, 2012 furthermore, the sites founder, kim schmitz aka kimble, kim dotcom, and kim tim jim vestor isnt likely to cut a sympathetic figure at trial. Wellington, new zealand flamboyant internet entrepreneur kim dotcom and three of his former colleagues have lost their latest bid to avoid extradition to the u. Jul 05, 2018 wellington, new zealand flamboyant internet entrepreneur kim dotcom and three of his former colleagues have lost their latest bid to avoid extradition to the u. Kim dotcom case is simple fraud, court told technology. Dec 25, 2015 the past several years have been a rollercoaster ride for internet mogul kim dotcom.
We are writing to you in your capacity as special counsel appointed to carry out the above investigation pursuant to order 39152017 investigation. Kim dotcom loses latest legal bid to avoid us extradition. Kim dotcom added todays indictment confirmed that mueller cannot be trusted. Dotcom, a 43yearold german national born kim schmitz, was arrested in a january 2012 raid on his mansion in new zealand after the us handed down an indictment on criminal violations. Kim dotcom is also known at kim schmitz and kim tim jim vestor. In submissions filed by the kim dotcom legal team in district court in new zealand, professor lawrence lessig, from harvard law school, provided his expert legal opinion on the united states department of justices doj criminal allegations in the extradition record against kim dotcom and the others. The company was financially successful, but in 2012 the united states department of justice seized his website and. One of those arrested was kim schmitz, aka kim dotcom, megauploads highflying founder, who has been denied bail in new zealand. Kim dotcom cant get back millions worth of assets us seized. Megaupload limited, vestor limited, kim dotcom, finn batato, julius.
The rise and fall of and the legal battle between kim dotcom and the united states. Jun, 2017 the kim dotcom megaupload saga seems like it will never end. Kim dotcoms extradition battle suffers high court setback. As a preliminary matter, its important to understand the procedural posture of this case. On january 5, 2012, a grand jury convened in the united states district court for the eastern district of virginia issued an indictment against megaupload limited, its affiliate vestor limited, and principals kim dotcom a resident of new zealand and hong kong, and a citizen of finland and germany, finn batato a citizen of germany, julius. Apr 21, 2020 the rise and fall of and the legal battle between kim dotcom and the united states. But it might not be so private after all, as security professionals have ripped it to shreds.
Pre indictment copyright litigation against members of the mega. Furthermore, the sites founder, kim schmitz aka kimble, kim dotcom, and kim tim jim vestor isnt likely to cut a sympathetic figure at trial. Kim dotcom born kim schmitz, 21 january 1974, also known as kimble and kim tim jim vestor, is a germanfinnish internet entrepreneur and political activist who resides in queenstown, new zealand. Kim dotcom was the founder of file hosting service megaupload 20052012. The megaupload legal case concerns a number of related criminal indictments and. Eastern district of virginia alexandria division united states of america v. Additional charges filed against megaupload and kim dotcom. In the united states district court for the alexandria. Global policing and the case of kim dotcom semantic scholar. High court upholds kim dotcom extradition decision stuff. Prosecutors add new charges to megaupload indictment. The scariest thing about the megaupload case from the vantage point of a legitimate internet business with zero interest in servicing pirates, seems to be the deduplication issue. The grand jury returned the indictment on january 5, 2012.
Five years have passed since the flamboyant dotcom s indictment and arrest in new zealand on us criminal infringement charges. Justice department indictment of megaupload documentcloud. Feds slam megaupload with indictment and racketeering charges. There are numerous problems with how encryption is handled, an xss flaw and users cant. Federal prosecutors have sharpened their charges against megauploads leaders with a new superseding indictment that aims to show how kim dotcom and others allegedly aided and abetted massive. The us indictment comprised counts in total, a strategy that was developed because infringement alone is a nonextraditable offence between nz and. Megaupload details raise significant concerns about what. Dotcom says doj lied about evidence against megaupload. High court upholds kim dotcom extradition decision. Supreme court rejects kim dotcoms legal challenge cnet. An fbi indictment alleges 90% of material on the site was protected. At all times relevant to this superseding indictment. The united states vs you and kim dotcom in support of its application for a warrant, the fbi agent stated under oath. As he continues to fight an aggressive government determined to extradite him to the united states to face.
The indictment provided a number of instances alleged to show criminal behaviour. Yet federal authorities allege kims whole business was built on piracy, offering cash incentives to users who uploaded popular content like movies and. Kim dotcom says the the evidence in the indictment doesnt survive a giggle test. Jan 22, 20 over the weekend, kim dotcom launched his much hyped new filestorage service mega. The ring is allegedly led by kim dotcom, aka kim schmitz and kim tim jim vestor, a 37yearold who is a resident of hong kong and new zealand. General allegations at all times relevant to this superseding indictment. Eastern district of virginia alexandria division united. Last january, dotcoms new zealand mansion was stormed by a squad of armed agents working in cooperation. Defendant megaupload limited to dismiss indictment pdf, usa v.
Five years have passed since the flamboyant dotcoms indictment and arrest in new zealand on us criminal infringement charges. Fbi justice department charges leaders of megaupload. Former senator of the united states 3 the criminal prosecution of megaupload and kim dotcom is purportedly the largest case in history, involving tens of millions of users around the world, and yet it is founded on highly dubious legal principles and apparently propelled by the white houses desire to mollify the motion. The kim dotcom megaupload saga seems like it will never end. The indictment alleges that the criminal enterprise is led by kim dotcom, aka kim schmitz, and kim tim jim vestor, 37, a resident of both hong kong and new zealand. Over the weekend, kim dotcom launched his much hyped new filestorage service mega. Items seized from dotcom include a large collection of cars, a.
491 54 1322 592 150 482 573 1044 900 656 1558 961 1537 607 1366 129 1000 158 245 1186 1424 903 1090 924 1 1371 833 6 474 275 1376 504 355 610