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Court rejects Megaupload co-founder bail request
As reported by the BBC, the Auckland High Court has announced its agreement with a recent ruling that Mr Dotcom (a German citizen) may attempt to escape the country. The file-sharing site co-founder is charged with benefiting from the copying and selling of pirated content.
Mr Dotcom's attorneys stated that he denied the accusations and would appeal against an extradition request from the US. Prosecutors argued that Mr Dotcom (alias for Kim Schmitz) was a great flight risk, explaining that he held passports and bank accounts under three names and a record of running from criminal charges. They argued that not even electronic monitoring was likely to prove effective.
Attorneys representing the US government also reported that a man holding a record of creating fake travel papers had unsuccessfully requested to visit Mr Dotcom after his arrest. The defendant denied having any intention of fleeing, expressing his wishes to stay with his pregnant wife while fighting to unfreeze his assets.
Mr Dotcom also denied all connections to the rejected visitor, saying that if people were to offer him such services, he would send them “to hell”. The German national added that he had previously been approached by a man claiming to be a prosecutor who offered to organise a advantageous bail hearing in exchange for a payment.
Mr Dotcom is due to be back in court on 22 February, when his extradition trial is scheduled.
Mr Dotcom's attorneys stated that he denied the accusations and would appeal against an extradition request from the US. Prosecutors argued that Mr Dotcom (alias for Kim Schmitz) was a great flight risk, explaining that he held passports and bank accounts under three names and a record of running from criminal charges. They argued that not even electronic monitoring was likely to prove effective.
Attorneys representing the US government also reported that a man holding a record of creating fake travel papers had unsuccessfully requested to visit Mr Dotcom after his arrest. The defendant denied having any intention of fleeing, expressing his wishes to stay with his pregnant wife while fighting to unfreeze his assets.
Mr Dotcom also denied all connections to the rejected visitor, saying that if people were to offer him such services, he would send them “to hell”. The German national added that he had previously been approached by a man claiming to be a prosecutor who offered to organise a advantageous bail hearing in exchange for a payment.
Mr Dotcom is due to be back in court on 22 February, when his extradition trial is scheduled.
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