WELLINGTON— U.S. federal prosecutors have filed papers seeking the extradition from New Zealand of Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom and three of his colleagues.
Kim Dotcom. AP PHOTO
New Zealand justice officials say papers were filed Friday in Auckland’s North Shore District Court. The court is not releasing the papers at this time.
U.S. prosecutors accuse the four men of breaching copyright by facilitating millions of illegal downloads through their website, enriching themselves at the expense of movie makers and song writers. Dotcom is accused of a number of offenses including racketeering, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Dotcom and his colleagues remain under house arrest in Auckland. An extradition hearing has been scheduled for August.