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Kim Dotcom Suffers Stroke as US Extradition Battle Intensifies

The Megaupload founder, facing extradition from New Zealand to the United States on multiple charges, announces recovery efforts following a serious stroke.

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Internet mogul Kim Dotcom leaves court after a judge ruled that he and three other defendants are eligible for extradition to the US, in Auckland on December 23, 2015. A New Zealand judge ruled December 23 Internet mogul Kim Dotcom can be extradited to the United States where he is wanted on money laundering, racketeering and breach of copyright charges. AFP PHOTO / Michael Bradley (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY / AFP) (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images)
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Kim Dotcom bei einer Anhörung vor Gericht im Jahr 2013 in Neuseeland

Overview

  • Kim Dotcom, the founder of the file-sharing platform Megaupload, revealed he is recovering from a serious stroke, which he announced on X (formerly Twitter).
  • Dotcom has been fighting extradition to the United States for over a decade, where he faces charges including copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering.
  • In August 2024, New Zealand's justice minister signed an extradition order, but Dotcom's legal team is challenging the decision through judicial review.
  • The US alleges that Megaupload generated $175 million in illegal profits and caused over $500 million in damages to copyright holders before its shutdown by the FBI in 2012.
  • Dotcom, who has consistently denied the charges, remains in New Zealand, where he has lived since 2010, and has expressed his intention to continue fighting the extradition.