Kim Dotcom loses extradition battle but refuses to leave New Zealand

[midian182]

What just happened? It's been quite a while since Kim Dotcom made headlines. The founder of the defunct file-sharing site Megaupload has been fighting extradition from New Zealand to the US for 12 years, but he has finally lost the battle. However, the German-born internet mogul says he's not leaving.

In 2012, the US Justice Department charged Dotcom for the creation and operation of Megaupload, a file-sharing platform that had been operating from 2005 to 2012. At its peak, Megaupload reportedly accounted for four percent of all traffic on the Internet and had as many as 50 million daily visitors.

The FBI ordered a raid on his Auckland mansion in the same year as his arrest – Dotcom has New Zealand residency – and he has been fighting extradition to the US ever since.

A New Zealand court ruled in 2015 that Dotcom is eligible to be extradited to the US, the first step in a long-running battle. Extradition was approved in 2017, and though Dotcom appealed, a court upheld the ruling in 2018 – the same year he launched a lawsuit against New Zealand over claims he had lost $6.8 billion from his businesses due to the raid, having his assets seized, and damage to his reputation.

The country's supreme court affirmed the extradition ruling in 2020, but there were more reviews to come. Now, New Zealand Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has signed an extradition order for Dotcom.

"I considered all of the information carefully, and have decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial," said Goldsmith. "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."

Dotcom seems unwilling to obey the ruling, writing on X that "I love New Zealand. I'm not leaving." He also told fans not to worry as he has "a plan."

Oops ð¬ Don't worry I have a plan ð pic.twitter.com/1ow9drHcfv

– Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 15, 2024

"The obedient US colony in the South Pacific just decided to extradite me for what users uploaded to Megaupload, unsolicited, and what copyright holders were able to remove with direct delete access instantly and without question," Dotcom claimed in another post.

The US debt and money printing system is collapsing. The West is heading into an economic wasteland. The Middle East is on fire. Russia dominates Ukraine and NATO. BRICS is ending US hegemony and the fake 'rules-based order'. US puppets are failing everywhere. Genocide,…

– Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) August 13, 2024

Dotcom faces charges of copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering. If convicted in the US, Dotcom and his former colleagues - Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk and Finn Batato – could be jailed for decades.

US authorities say Dotcom and the three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, generating more than $175 million in revenue for the platform.

A year after police arrested him in 2012, Dotcom launched an encrypted file storage service dubbed 'Mega', although he has not been involved with the company since at least 2015. He attempted to relaunch Megaupload in 2016.

Dotcom also launched a new venture called Bitcache that allowed people and businesses to sell content for Bitcoins. It went into liquidation last year due to unpaid legal fees.

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Kim Dotcom loses extradition battle but refuses to leave New Zealand

 

[RaXelliX]

Quick. Run to Russia Mr. Kim. They will gladly accept all sorts of criminals.
I mean if the west is collapsing and BRICS is doing so well the why aren't you living there?

 

[Burty117]

I mean if the west is collapsing and BRICS is doing so well the why aren't you living there?

This has been my question as well however, the people who say stuff like this tend to be mega rich.

I’d actually be more afraid if he said “the west is doing really well and is thriving”.

An example of an extremely rich person saying the opposite, Mr Sir James Dyson. Massive Brexit preacher, telling everyone he came into contact with how much better the UK would be outside the EU…

Anyway, a year after the vote to leave, moves Dysons head office and operations to Singapore…

Rich people tend to be the least trustworthy to be honest.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Quick. Run to Russia Mr. Kim. They will gladly accept all sorts of criminals.
I mean if the west is collapsing and BRICS is doing so well the why aren't you living there?

New Zealand is beautiful. Why live elsewhere until forced?

 

[umeng2002]

Why doesn't the US government just get the eagles to pick him up and fly him to the US?

 

[RudyBob]

"The FBI ordered a raid on his Auckland mansion..." WHAT? He is probably a bad player but WHAT?

 

[Shalimar]

New Zealand is beautiful. Why live elsewhere until forced?

NZ was. TIL lunatic Jacinda did untold damage in her dictatorial time in office much of which will never be undone sadly

As for KDC. The powers that be in the US in this case are all butt hurt over people not adhering to the draconian DMCA which has zero authority outside of the US.. But they are also butthurt that the fact is KDC technically did nothing illegal. They want to punish him for others actions
And those others are untouchable so the MPAA is continuing their tantrum
Only they can rape the public and get away with it is their position and how dare anyone find any way to bypass their blatantly illegal rscketeering system lol

The Kiwis should be happy to tell the US to kiss their asses since they are NOT subject to US law.
But $$$ undoubtedly has a funny impact on such

 

[Kashim]

"The FBI ordered a raid on his Auckland mansion..." WHAT? He is probably a bad player but WHAT?

Are you have trouble with reading comprehension? Obviously the FBI had permission to do the raid. The US is quite cozy with many nations including NZ.

 

[RudyBob]

Are you have trouble with reading comprehension? Obviously the FBI had permission to do the raid. The US is quite cozy with many nations including NZ.

Obviously. Now don't be a bully.

 

[p51d007]

Wow! I had forgotten all about Kim Dotcom! Didn't know he was still around.

 

[MrPractical]

Dotcom is being redirected from .nz to .us?

 

[kiwigraeme]

NZ was. TIL lunatic Jacinda did untold damage in her dictatorial time in office much of which will never be undone sadly

As for KDC. The powers that be in the US in this case are all butt hurt over people not adhering to the draconian DMCA which has zero authority outside of the US.. But they are also butthurt that the fact is KDC technically did nothing illegal. They want to punish him for others actions
And those others are untouchable so the MPAA is continuing their tantrum
Only they can rape the public and get away with it is their position and how dare anyone find any way to bypass their blatantly illegal rscketeering system lol

The Kiwis should be happy to tell the US to kiss their asses since they are NOT subject to US law.
But $$$ undoubtedly has a funny impact on such

I wasn't overly a Jacinda fan, protected by an army of press and media people paid for by taxpayers -not very open govt as promised , Fronting for good news, hiding behind her ministers for bad .
But hardly as bad as you make out

NZ and USA have an agreement . so we have to abide , but some of the charges are seems reaches I think to get 2 year prison sentence necessary to be extradited

It was a National govt that did the big suck up to USA with complete BS armed defenders squad and helicopter raid , when a they could have just knocked at the door.

KDC tried to sponsor his own political party , funny the politicians who grabbed the money . Laile Harre sp?

For the record he can not leave NZ , as passports held by courts - Though imagine he could arrange a secret passage on a boat

Imagine his appeal will suck up another 2 years while he runs Mega.com
It's NZ taxpayer taking the biggest hit

megaupload got arrogant and stupid , emails encouraging piracy , rewards for pirates to upload , servers in USA - some similar companies shut down , but others say run out of switzerland didn't care

They needed to have been smarter and pretended to be more stupid

 

[nnguy2]

Dotcom is being redirected from .nz to .us?

Underrated comment. Wish I could give you more likes.

 

[ZedRM]

"The FBI ordered a raid on his Auckland mansion..." WHAT? He is probably a bad player but WHAT?

Everyone who's followed this story has asked this. The kicker is that New Zealand is a close US ally and maintains very open legal relations.

 

[RudyBob]

Everyone who's followed this story has asked this. The kicker is that New Zealand is a close US ally and maintains very open legal relations.

Yes. I'm wondering if our close relationship with Israel would allow Mossad to kick some US doors down is all. Seems NZ doesn't mind foreign players doing it.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Yes. I'm wondering if our close relationship with Israel would allow Mossad to kick some US doors down is all. Seems NZ doesn't mind foreign players doing it.

USA has interfering in NZ politics in the 1970s probably before. USA did a lot of interfering in many countries back then. Same as USSR who bribed people- Cold War . Junkets to Moscow for some union people. Israel has got up to some crap in NZ with operatives here and trying to get NZ passports for it's agents and assassination groups ( they did this with Canada and Switzerland as well ) .
China is probably the biggest foreign influence in NZ at moment - funding politicians ( again may just be rich Chinese individuals just buying favours like citizenship for all their friends ) are having its' own operatives and secret police to try and control dissentients, possibly even kidnap them Israeli style out of NZ - believe Israel did this in England and maybe Switzerland .

Think being USAs' B*t*ch doesn't necessarily get you a sweet deal -foreigners don't vote

Kind of funny how French secret service thought Kiwis were stupid when they blew up the greenpeace boat . Kiwi cops caught then in days - went to do open prison in french polynesia for a few years, pardoned and went home with honour though they killed people
Kiwis didn't want France or USA testing bombs in the South Pacific - with their arrogant "no worries money can fix up any problems' no just F off
USA does not waiver immunity to it's diplomats - any diplomats or their partners who drive drunk and kill are allowed to fly home free as , same happened in England. Malaysia sent back a diplomat rapist to go on trial . ie countries can waive immunity.
USA is far from the worse in this respect. You can probably search in USA which countries pay diplomatic speeding fines, parking fines, and those that don't - some tend to pay all, some pay none

 

[Endymio]

Kiwis didn't want France or USA testing bombs in the South Pacific

Nor did they want nuclear-armed ships docking in their ports. Yet they're happy -- ecstatically eager, in fact -- to accept free-of-charge the nuclear-umbrella protection from those ships and bombs.

I can respect a nation that picks one position or the other. The mealy-mouthed "we'll eat our cake and have it too" moral hypocrisy of New Zealand, however, is rather loathsome.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Nor did they want nuclear-armed ships docking in their ports. Yet they're happy -- ecstatically eager, in fact -- to accept free-of-charge the nuclear-umbrella protection from those ships and bombs.

I can respect a nation that picks one position or the other. The mealy-mouthed "we'll eat our cake and have it too" moral hypocrisy of New Zealand, however, is rather loathsome.

More cherry picked wrong assertions.
We are consistently against all atomic weapons .Some USA ports have also been against having such vessels in their ports

But let's get to your biggest deceit, us sponging of The USA protection
Everyone here knows that is an outright lie
The USA has never came and fought in any NZ war ever.

Yet many Kiwis gave their lives , were seriously injured and suffer post wars to fight in USA backed conflicts

Korea, Vietnam, Gulf and Afghanistan - so you can stop hateful lies . Those who died were not suckers or losers, the medals and sacrifices they as young men are better than medals handed out to creeps like Jim Jordan or political donors.

Do you have no decency - what greater resource can a country give than it's young , they can no longer vote , or have kids , so maybe not as important to horrible people like Trump or JD Vance - who wants to take votes away from young military men who don't have kids . as they have no vested interest in their country apparently.

people should stop praising people and parroting hateful views of likes of Trump . He didn't even know what NATO was before he was president . Him and then you parroting hate that we are not paying our well or doing are share is a big lie and hateful and favours Russia who you defend voraciously and the rights of mega corporations over people and the environment

I keep saying it I stop reading and replying to your posts as they acknowledge no points, they go off tangent that never refutes main position , it is not a discussion. it is just nick picking some minor detail

Lastly I will state my fundamental values and the basis of my discussions. You have never done that, so you always will solely be trying to do point scoring debating , we you see and don't care about

 

[kiwigraeme]

Nor did they want nuclear-armed ships docking in their ports. Yet they're happy -- ecstatically eager, in fact -- to accept free-of-charge the nuclear-umbrella protection from those ships and bombs.

I can respect a nation that picks one position or the other. The mealy-mouthed "we'll eat our cake and have it too" moral hypocrisy of New Zealand, however, is rather loathsome.

You are the type of "WOKE" people don't like , getting upset of behalf of others.
I have always claim to be woke , I believe Old people should be respected and have equal rights , that disabled , coloured , gay , the poor . everyone should too.

Let's see if any Americans here think the Kiwis who died for America in Korea, Vietnam , The Gulf War and Afganistan are loathsome and we are not doing our share

TBF you may be American , who knows , you just say you live in Ireland you have never said you are Irish

 

[Endymio]

We are consistently against all atomic weapons .Some USA ports have also been against having such vessels in their ports

Where do you get absurd non-facts like this? No "USA port" has ever denied -- or even attempted to deny - entry to US or Allied nuclear-capable military ships.

And again: you claim to be against nuclear weapons -- but you sure love being protected by them.

The USA has never came and fought in any NZ war ever.

Oops! Where does this criminal ignorance of your own history come from? Did you forget that New Zealand entered WW2 two years before the US? That it declared war on Germany when the US was still a neutral, uninvolved party? That Germany was sinking New Zealand ships in your coastal waters? That at the same time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, they also launched an offensive that captured New Zealand troops at Butaritari? That New Zealand was in fear of an imminent Japanese invasion -- an invasion that never came, thanks to the US?

And your own government told you that you were fighting in Korea and Vietnam to protect yourself, not "to help America". Were they lying to you? New Zealand dispatched its first forces to Korea not "as a US ally" but in answer to the United Nations call for action.

Trump didn't even know what NATO was before he was president .

Repeating lies don't make them true. They simply make you look foolish.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Where do you get absurd non-facts like this? No "USA port" has ever denied -- or even attempted to deny - entry to US or Allied nuclear-capable military ships.

And again: you claim to be against nuclear weapons -- but you sure love being protected by them.


Oops! Where does this criminal ignorance of your own history come from? Did you forget that New Zealand entered WW2 two years before the US? That it declared war on Germany when the US was still a neutral, uninvolved party? That Germany was sinking New Zealand ships in your coastal waters? That at the same time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, they also launched an offensive that captured New Zealand troops at Butaritari? That New Zealand was in fear of an imminent Japanese invasion -- an invasion that never came, thanks to the US?

And your own government told you that you were fighting in Korea and Vietnam to protect yourself, not "to help America". Were they lying to you? New Zealand dispatched its first forces to Korea not "as a US ally" but in answer to the United Nations call for action.


Repeating lies don't make them true. They simply make you look foolish.

So much untruths there and not even worth responding to - in fact poor arguments even from you

Americans here know Kiwis had their back and and they have ours , none of us lie about bone spurs like your hero who had his own personal vietnam avoiding a sexual disease , or doesn't want to visit graves as might get our hair wet.

Americans believe in the first amendment , that people can have freedom of expression.

Your own attack was off topic and so silly, that friends can not have differences of opinion.

Lots here support the police , doesn't meant we support unconditionally. that is just silly.

NZ was never going to be bombed by the USSR/Russia who you uncritically support, though since WW2 they have killed millions of innocent people - eg see Afghanistan.

USA does not have a right to enter any small countries port
I think your whole argument is just vile hate - I don't even accept the basis assumptions.

If I did I would point out your own hypocrisy. Living in a "neutral" Ireland you gets the benefit of NATO and British , Australia and Kiwis dying

So a baseless vile attack build on sand , and argued with lies is just so vile.

I have no problem with Ireland being neutral , I understand some of the reasoning. they do peacekeeping etc. Plus they are a sovereign nation and entitled to do their own thing

Nor traditionally Sweden - I have only had a problem with Switzerland as they have may an economy of exploiting their neutrality to make moneys and sell weapons on bloodshed. Funneling money , hiding money etc

US Vets and Kiwi Vets have a huge love and brotherhood that won't be killed by vile untruths and hatred - both get hosted with great love when visiting each other

Plus NZ has specific at least one target as USA has communication/spy installation on our land

As I said you I can show my fundamental values, that means I can criticise Trump for benefiting from all those who fought for The USA - while he denigrates them with nasty comments like losers. That my position means I don't criticise Ireland for it's neutral stance

Yours is no criticism of Trump ever or reflection about Ireland where you live. Instead an off topic vile attack on NZ

 

[Endymio]

So much untruths there and not even worth responding to - in fact poor arguments even from you

Americans here know Kiwis had their back and and they have ours

Wow. Quite a change of heart from your earlier "The US has never helped us in a war." Thanks for admitting I was right.

...none of us lie about bone spurs like your hero who had his own personal vietnam avoiding a sexual disease , or doesn't want to visit graves as might get our hair wet....

The sad thing about disinformation like this is that as soon as you debunk one lie, someone instantly repeats three more.

"On Saturday, the President was supposed to place a wreath to commemorate the lost personnel. the Associated Press reported Saturday. President Trump reportedly had no say in the decision [to cancel], as the Marine Corps made the determination with the Secret Service that weather conditions posed too much risk for Marine One to fly to Aisne-Marne, northeast of Paris....Trump attended a similar event at a different cemetery the following day...."

Even sadder is that, had Trump actually overridden the cancellation, the media would have attacked him for "risking the lives of pilots to stage a photo-op."

NZ was never going to be bombed by the USSR/Russia

No, of course not. It would merely be overwhelmed by the Sino-Soviet's conventional forces. The nukes were to force a stalemate preventing this. New Zealand's government acknowledged the need for a nuclear deterrent, but preferred someone else do the dirty work.