Kim Dotcom has successfully fought off an attempt by the US government to have him remanded in custody after a New Zealand court ruled he had not broken bail conditions and posed no flight risk.
Dotcom, the founder of the file-sharing site Megaupload, has been on bail since February 2012 while fighting an attempt by US authorities to extradite him over copyright infringement, money laundering and racketeering charges.
Auckland district court rejected claims from the US government that Dotcom, a German national with permanent New Zealand resident status, had stockpiled a large amount of money before an attempt to flee the country.
“Mr Dotcom cannot prove he has salted away money, and nor should he be required to do so,” Judge Nevin Dawson told the court.
BREAKING NEWS: Court rules that I'm free to go home. Justice is alive in Auckland. Not so sure about Wellington.
— Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) December 1, 2014
“He has made a substantial investment in money and time in his efforts to stay here. The court is not satisfied Mr Dotcom has hidden money for the purposes of escaping New Zealand.”
In fact, Dotcom argues that a freeze on his assets has left him unable to pay for legal representation. Shares from his company Mega – Megaupload’s successor – have also been seized by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which is bringing a separate civil case against him.
Though he avoided being remanded, Dotcom had his bail conditions increased, banning him from travelling in his beloved helicopter or in “sea-going vessels”.
Speaking outside the court, Dotcom said: “I think this is another case of harassment and bullying by the United States government in concert with the New Zealand government.
“The crown and the US government have used this opportunity in a weak moment to make up the bogus case for me having breached my bail conditions.
“I have been probably the most compliant, exemplary candidate of bail in New Zealand.”
He later tweeted: “Justice is alive in Auckland.”
The tech tycoon, who lives on a 60-acre estate in Auckland, also founded the music service Baboom, but severed ties with it in October.
More recently, Dotcom has entered the world of politics, establishing and funding the Internet party which entered into an agreement with the Mana party to contend September’s New Zealand elections. The alliance failed to win a seat.
His extradition hearing is due to take place in June 2015.
