File-sharing, Kim Dotcom | featured news

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is launching a new version of his now-defunct file-sharing website.

Kim Dotcom, founder of the banned Megaupload filesharing site, has announced a new version called Mega designed to sidestep the American laws under which he is being prosecuted for £175m worth of alleged online piracy, racketeering and money laundering.

While Kim Dotcom's lawyers have been making steady progress in court, Mr. Dotcom has been gaining the public's favor in New Zealand... Mr. Dotcom — born Kim Schmitz and also known as Kimble and Kim Tim Jim Vestor — and three others connected with Megaupload were arrested in connection with U.S. indictments on charges involving copyright infringement and money laundering. At the time, the U.S. Department of Justice said that in all, seven people had been arrested around the world in connection with an investigation into online piracy of numerous copyrighted works, including music and films.

In the indictment filed in a New Zealand court earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department says Kim DotCom oversaw an attempt to copy all of YouTube's videos and tried to inform on rivals.

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom was denied bail Wednesday by a New Zealand judge who determined that the file-sharing site executive poses a flight risk, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Among the roll-call of hip-hop artists and other celebrities plugging Megaupload.com's digital storage services in an online promotional video, a cameo from the website's founder would have gone unnoticed by many.