Supreme Court rejects Kim Dotcom's legal challenge

[fr3d3r1ck]

The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected MegaUpload founder Kim Dotcom's challenge to the US government's seizure of overseas assets held by the founder of the now-defunct streaming site.

 

The court left in place a federal appeals court ruling that the US government could seize $40 million from accounts in Hong Kong and New Zealand as part of a civil forfeiture action. Dotcom is currently fighting extradition to the US, where he faces arrest on a variety of copyright charges and money laundering charges.

 

Dotcom criticized the court's decision, saying it will hurt treaties the US has with other countries and its ability to arrange extraditions.

 

 

Dotcom, a 43-year-old German national born Kim Schmidt, was arrested in a January 2012 raid on his mansion in New Zealand after the US handed down an indictment on criminal copyright violations and racketeering. Millions of dollars worth of cash, cars, and other possessions belonging to Dotcom were seized during a sensational raid on his estate.

 

US prosecutors say MegaUpload cost Hollywood studios and other copyright owners $500 million by encouraging users to store pirated videos, music, software and other media and then share it with others. Dotcom says MegaUpload was completely legitimate and protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

 

Dotcom's fight to avoid extradition was dealt a significant setback in February when New Zealand's High Court found Dotcom and three other defendants -- Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk and Finn Batato -- eligible for extradition to the United States. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

 

Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-kim-dotcoms-legal-challenge-megaupload/

[rasbridge]

The USA government will do anything to convict him.