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US to try to revoke Mega chief’s bail

By | Published on Monday 27 February 2012

Kim Schmitz

MegaUpload founder Kim ‘Dotcom’ Schmitz is due back in court in Auckland tomorrow as the US authorities try to appeal the previously reported decision to bail the Mega man.

As previously reported, Schmitz was one of four former Mega execs arrested in New Zealand at the request of the American authorities last month – they are accused of copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering for their involvement in the Mega companies. All four men have now been bailed pending an extradition hearing – unlikely to take place before August – but the US is trying to revoke the bailing of Schmitz.

Dotcom’s bail application was initially denied because prosecutors said he was a flight risk, adding that he might have access to hidden funds that could be used to flee to his home country Germany where it would be much harder to extradite him. But last week the Auckland courts decided there was no evidence Schmitz had any monies other than those already seized by the American authorities. The Mega chief is now on bail, though tagged and banned from accessing the internet.

But the US will tomorrow try to have that decision overturned by again arguing Schmitz should stay in jail until he can be extradited to America. It remains to be seen if the lawyers have any new reasons why the judge should concur.



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