NextFin news, A New Zealand court in Wellington rejected internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom's latest bid on Thursday to halt his extradition to the United States. The court dismissed his request for a judicial review of an August 2024 decision that he should be surrendered to the U.S. to face trial on charges including copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering.
Dotcom, the founder of the file-sharing website Megaupload, has been fighting extradition for over 13 years. The U.S. government alleges that Megaupload generated at least $175 million from users illegally downloading copyrighted content before the FBI shut it down in early 2012.
Justice Christine Grice ruled against Dotcom's claims that the extradition decision was politically motivated and that he would face disproportionate treatment in the U.S. The judge also rejected his argument that New Zealand police erred by charging his business partners under domestic law but not him, which could have resulted in lighter sentences than if tried in the U.S.
Dotcom's legal team has the option to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal by October 8, though it is unclear if they will do so. His lawyer Ron Mansfield told Radio New Zealand that they have "much fight left in us as we seek to secure a fair outcome." Neither Dotcom nor Mansfield responded to requests for further comment.
The New Zealand government has not announced the next steps or timeline for Dotcom's extradition to the United States.
The case began with a dramatic January 2012 raid on Dotcom's Auckland mansion at the FBI's request. Dotcom has been free on bail in New Zealand since February 2012 while the legal proceedings continue.
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