Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom loses latest appeal against extradition to US from New Zealand

– Kim Dotcom lost his latest appeal on July 1 to avoid extradition to the United States, where he is facing criminal charges relating to now-defunct file-sharing website Megaupload, which he founded.

German-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the US since 2012 following an FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion.

Dotcom, who is on bail, was appealing against a 2024 decision by New Zealand that he be extradited to the US. He was 50 that year.

New Zealand’s Court of Appeal found on July 1 that there was no legal basis to block his extradition to the US, according to a copy of the judgment.

Dotcom has one final route to appeal against the ruling, through the country’s top court, the Supreme Court.

Dotcom did not immediately respond to a request for comment via his lawyer on July 1.

The US authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than US$500 million (S$648 million) by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than US$175 million in revenue for the website. REUTERS