Kim Dotcom, the quixotic millionaire founder of file-sharing service Megaupload who?s wanted for extradition to the U.S., returned to Twitter this week to prove to the world he?s still creating new platforms despite his entanglements with law enforcement.
Dotcom also used the new account to announce that ?Megabox,? a new music discovery and sharing service, is still on its way despite his still being under arrest. He?s previously said that Megabox, which would compete with similar platforms such as Spotify, would let artists keep almost 90% of the profits made from their music.
Dotcom, arrested in New Zealand after file-sharing service Megaupload was brought down on charges of computer piracy in January, has also been using the reactivated Twitter account (@kimdotcom) mostly to post photos and thank supporters during his ongoing extradition hearing. In true Dotcom style, he?s also been poking fun at his situation, tweeting jokes about the FBI and police.
He?s also met with Apple founder Steve Wozniak, who visited him in New Zealand.
Dotcom?s assets have been frozen and he remains under house arrest in New Zealand while a court weighs the American extradition request. U.S. law enforcement officials have accused Dotcom and his staff of being a part of the ?Mega Conspiracy, a worldwide criminal organization whose members engaged in criminal copyright infringement and money laundering on a massive scale.?
The fate of the data still stored on Megaupload?s servers is still unknown. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is suing the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the files, which the EFF argues that the site?s users have a right to access.
What should happen to the Megaupload data? Share your opinion in the comments.
BONUS: The Strange and Epic Lifestyle of Megaupload?s Kim Dotcom
View As Slideshow ?Until recently, Kim Dotcom was the top Modern Warfare 3 player in the world. He even apparently posted a video to prove it. We imagine it's tough to maintain such a coveted position while being held in jail for multiple copyright violations.
The Megaupload kingpin claims to have paid $500,000 for the City of Auckland to put on a 2011 New Year's firework display. In case any Kiwi were to forget who was funding the awesomeness, he produced a video replete with on-screen identification of his whereabouts during the show. "Yeah, that's me in my personal helicopter!"
3. Mega Man
Dotcom stands 6 feet 7 inches tall, and tips the scales at 300 pounds, according to CNET. No one really knows his exact measurements though. All reports we've seen have him measured differently so whatever his exact height and weight are, it's easy to see that his physical size matches his personality and ego.
4. Surname Switch
He legally changed his surname from Schmitz to Dotcom in homage to the beloved World Wide Web that made him famous.
5. Financial Bravado and a 9/11 Bounty
He once fancied himself an anti-terrorism fighter by offering a bounty of $10 million for Osama bin Laden after 9/11. He started a group called Young Intelligent Hackers Against Terrorism. He was so kind as to offer the authorities on the hunt a little of his own advice:
"Try Looking in Kandahar in Afghanistan. He visits his wife and daughter there at least once a month."
Image courtesy of iStock, Vesnaandjic
According to Vanity Fair, Dotcom is a "skilled and very fast driver" who raced in and won the Gumball 3000 in 2005. He bet that he would beat two of the female drivers. If they finished before him, he'd give them each $500,000. If he won, they had to join him in a threesome. No report on what came of that.
According to the Wall Street Journal, we do know that when he was arrested, police confiscated 21 luxury cars.
Even when the game seemed to be up, Mr. Dotcom orchestrated a flamboyant exit. Police had to cut their way through electronic locks to a saferoom, where they found him clutching a gun.
Image courtesy of iStock, zentilia
Dotcom generated a spectacle wherever he went, often surrounded by cars and women, and wearing his trademark black outfit. He was even known to jump into hot tubs fully clothed. He made movies about himself racing cars, flirting with women, and riding in helicopters and private jets.
9. Dubious Wealth Creation
According to The New York Times, in 2001 he reportedly made more than $1 million when he allegedly bought shares in a struggling website, then falsely announced he would make a major investment, only to then sell his shares once the price went up after his announcement. He then defended himself by appearing on a popular late-night show, claiming people hated him because they didn't like his lifestyle. He then fled to Thailand before ultimately being apprehended.
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10. Big Time Friends
He commissioned this well-produced music video starring many celebrities supporting the site, ostensibly in part to rub Megaupload in the face of copyright holders. Much controversy ensued.
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