Megaupload founder hid in safe room armed with shotgun before arrest
Starling details of the arrest of Kim Dotcom, Megaupload.com founder, have been revealed following last week’s closure of the file-sharing website.
Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, was said to be hiding in the saferoom of his New Zealand mansion, armed with a loaded shotgun, during the police raid. Swarms of helicopters circeld the property, while police cut through electronic locks to apprehend Dotcom.
Despite our staff clearly identifying themselves, Mr Dotcom retreated into the house and activated a number of electronic-locking mechanisms.
“Despite our staff clearly identifying themselves, Mr Dotcom retreated into the house and activated a number of electronic-locking mechanisms,” New Zealand’s Organized and Financial Crime Agency told Reuters.
Last week US federal prosecutors closed Megaupload for violating copyright laws. Prosecutors claim the website has cost copyright holders some $500 million (£320 million) in lost revenue, while Megaupload in their defence state that they were diligent in removing content flagged as pirated.
The FBI have described the action against the website as being “amongst the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States” and said it would target “the misuse of a public content storage and distribution site to commit and facilitate intellectual property crime”.
