US moves to put Megaupload's founder back in jail

27.02.2012
Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom is due to appear in Auckland High Court on Tuesday morning as representatives for the U.S. government appeal a ruling that set him free on bail last week.

Dotcom was granted bail on the conditions that he wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, stay at his rented mansion outside of Auckland and not access the internet.

Megaupload, a now-shuttered file-sharing website, was targeted by the entertainment industry and law enforcement for its alleged trade in content without permission of copyright owners as well as allegedly reproducing material from websites such as YouTube.

Dotcom was initially denied bail on Jan. 25 after being deemed a flight risk due to his wealth and also because he holds German and Finnish passports. The ruling was upheld on Feb. 3 after Dotcom appealed.

Dotcom filed a new application for bail in a District Court, arguing last week that all of his bank accounts had been frozen by law enforcement and he had little incentive to flee given that his three kids and wife, who is pregnant with twins, are still in New Zealand.

Representatives of the U.S. government fought the new application, implying that Dotcom might have access to secret funds. Dotcom has prior convictions, was found with an illegal firearm when he was arrested and has bank cards in several different names, they argued.