Kim Dotcom, the internet tycoon at the centre of a US inquiry into online piracy and fraud, said yesterday he was willing to go to the US to clear his name, offering to forgo a pending extradition hearing in New Zealand.
Dotcom, the founder of the Megaupload file-sharing site, said he was willing to face court in the US if certain conditions were agreed.
“Hey DOJ [Department of Justice], we will go to the US. No need for extradition,” Dotcom (38), a German national who also goes by Kim Schmitz, posted on Twitter. “We want bail, funds unfrozen for lawyers living expenses,” he added, referring to himself and three others facing the US charges.
In its highest-profile investigation into online piracy, the FBI alleges Dotcom led a group that has netted $175 million since 2005 by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorisation.
His lawyers say the company simply offered online storage. The offer comes a day after a court delayed a hearing into the US extradition request until March next year. – (Reuters)
