檔案分享網站Megaupload 關閉 Kim Dotcom 居億元豪宅 擁20輛名車 「邪惡博士」奢華生活曝光

居億元豪宅 擁20輛名車 「邪惡博士」奢華生活曝光
星島日報 
1/22/02012


(綜合報道)(星島日報報道)在香港註冊的大型檔案分享網站Megaupload日前被美國司法部關閉，擁有香港居留權的創辦人金德康（Kim Dotcom）在紐西蘭被捕，案件也暴露了這個外號「邪惡博士」的互聯網大亨的奢侈生活。


http://easss.com/internet


警方披露，周四在其高度設防豪宅沒收的名車就達二十部，包括一架價值四十萬美元（三百一十萬港元）的勞斯萊斯和一架一九五九年的粉紅色凱迪拉克。


　　綜合報道
　　金德康原名金•施米茨（Kim Schmitz），過去數年正式改名Kim Dotcom，以感謝令他成為巨富的互聯網。這位互聯網大亨周四在其位於紐西蘭奧克蘭市郊的二萬五千平方呎豪宅內慶祝三十八歲生日時被捕。


　　黑客技術揚威柏林
　　金德康的網站Megaupload被控侵犯版權，令版權持有人損失巨大，但靠互聯網致富的金德康平時的生活仍然很高調。警方起訴書顯示，當日沒收的二十輛名貴汽車包括一輛粉紅色凱迪拉克（Cadillac）古董車和一輛勞斯萊斯幻影房車，其中多輛名車都有獨特的車牌，包括KIMCOM、HACKER（黑客）、GUILTY（有罪）、MAFIA（黑手黨）、GOD（神）、POLICE（警察）等。


　　金德康且據報參加全球最奢華的Gumball 3000拉力賽，有如「炮彈飛車」般瘋狂，曾被拍得駕車越過一輛警車笑着說「邪惡先生常可逃脫。」


　　金德康在德國出生，上世紀九十年代在柏林以黑客技術揚威。


他其後到香港過新生活，成為Megaupload的幕後主腦及做其他生意，並在紐西蘭居住。警方指其豪宅正門寫着「Dotcom大宅」，並有大型長頸鹿和犀牛雕塑。大宅有三重閘門，又有保安人員及裝有攝錄機。


　　日前警方公布了突擊搜查金德康豪宅當日的行動細節，其落網過程被形容為恍如「占士邦」電影情節。警方當日派出了數十名警員荷槍實彈到金德康租住的高度設防豪宅，要破開電子鎖和破門才能入內拘捕他。


　　有組織及金融犯罪組偵緝督察沃莫爾德稱，警方對金德康採取拘捕行動當日，執勤警員已第一時間向金德康清楚表明身分，但他仍沒有理會，且退回屋內，開啟安裝於豪宅的電子鎖系統。


警員後來逼不得已使用武力打開鎖具，但一進門便發現金德康已自行反鎖於豪宅內的避難室，警方須再派人破門，才能進入避難室。


　　然而，警員一進入避難室便赫然發現金德康身處的位置附近放有一把短獵槍，警員大為緊張，幸而最終也能夠順利將金德康緝拿歸案。


　　未通過「良好品格」 被拒置業


　　金德康的豪宅據報現市值約三千萬紐元（逾一億八千七百萬港元），他去年曾試圖把該幢物業買下，但因為未能通過紐西蘭政府對移民人士的「良好品格」考查無法成事。


　　身高六呎七吋、體重約三百磅的金德康有「邪惡博士」稱號。短片分享網站YouTube一條片段中，金德康開着他的平治汽車參加歐洲Gumball 3000拉力賽，還大談自己如何賄賂一名摩洛哥官員。




另一段片則是奧克蘭市去年大除夕煙花表演，據報五十萬紐元的煙花表演費用是正由金德康贊助，以慶祝他的一家人獲紐西蘭當局給予居留權。

NZ police cut locks in Megaupload raid

NZ police cut locks in Megaupload raid
21-01-2012
RTHK


The mansion home of Megaupload founder Kim Schmitz. Photo: Reuters.
It's emerged that New Zealand police broke through electronic locks and cut their way into a mansion safe room to arrest the alleged kingpin of an international Internet copyright theft case and seize millions of dollars worth of cars, artwork and other goods.


German national Kim Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, was one of four men arrested on Friday in an investigation of the Megaupload.com website led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.


The group was accused of engaging in a scheme that took more than US$500 million away from copyright holders and generated over $175 million in proceeds from subscriptions and advertising.


A police official said on Saturday that dozens of officers, backed by helicopters, forced their way into the mansion, nestled in lush farmland, after Mr Schmitz refused them entry to his home in Auckland.


The 37-year-old German citizen, who has New Zealand and Hong Kong residency, was denied bail with three other men on Friday when they appeared in an Auckland district court.


They will appear in court again on Monday.


Web Hosting


HK seizes $330 m in Megaupload raids
21-01-2012
RTHK


German internet millionaire Kim Schmitz also known as Kim Dotcom. Reuters file photo.
Customs officers have raided offices, domestic premises and luxury hotel suites in Hong Kong as part of a worldwide FBI Internet piracy investigation into file-sharing site Megaupload.com.


One hundred officers took part in the raids Friday which seized a large amount of digital evidence and uncovered about HK$330 million (US$42 million) in suspected crime proceeds, Customs said.


"The assets have been frozen in accordance with related ordinances. The operation is ongoing," it said in a statement.


Officers raided hotel suites costing HK$100,000 a day equipped with high-speed servers and large television screens which were suspected to be connected to the case.


Megaupload's website was shut down Thursday by US authorities who accuse it of one of the largest cases of copyright theft ever.


Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom, also known as Kim Schmitz, is being held in New Zealand following a police raid there.


The 37-year-old German citizen, who has New Zealand and Hong Kong residency, was denied bail with three other men on Friday when they appeared in an Auckland district court.


New Zealand police seized luxury cars worth NZ$6.0 million (US$4.8 million), including a 1959 pink Cadillac and a Rolls Royce Phantom, in a raid on Dotcom's Auckland mansion.

MegaUpload 被封網拉人 香港為基地 侵權獲利 13億

MEGAUPLOAD被封網拉人 香港為基地 侵權獲利 13億
2012年01月21日
Apple


正當美國國會審議的《反網絡盜版法》，引發科網界強烈抗議之際，司法部前天（周四）關閉以香港為基地、全球最大檔案分享網站 Megaupload.com，並透過新西蘭警方拘控七人，他們涉及非法發佈盜版電影及音樂獲利。黑客組織隨即攻擊聯邦調查局（ FBI）及司法部等網站報復，令網站癱瘓。


Megaupload拉人封網 


Megaupload有 1.5億登記用戶，每日點擊率達 5,000萬次，更獲得多位樂壇巨星力撐。 FBI調查後發現，該網站利用美國伺服器複製及發佈侵權的盜版電影及音樂，又獎賞上載盜版內容的用戶，藉以獲利 1.75億美元（ 13.6億港元），導致版權持有人損失 5億美元（ 39億港元）。網站創辦人 Kim Dotcom去年就賺了 4,200萬美元（ 3.26億港元）。


Megaupload雖在香港註冊，但疑只是空殼公司，公司伺服器都在美國。

Web Hosting

美國司法部前天勒令關閉該網站，新西蘭警方同時在奧克蘭拘捕有香港居留權的 Kim Dotcom及德國籍香港居民奧特曼等四人，又撿獲槍械、藝術品、逾 800萬美元（ 6,240萬港元）現金及多輛名貴汽車，仍有三名涉案人士在逃。


港海關出動百人搜查 
美國司法部前天下令關閉侵權的檔案分享網站 Megaupload。美聯社


香港海關亦配合採取行動，昨晨調動約 100人搜查四處目標地點，查獲大量電子證據，並凍結 3.3億港元涉案資產。
Kim Dotcom等四人被控侵權、串謀洗黑錢及詐騙等五罪，下周一會再次提堂，並將被引渡到美國受審。網站關閉後，黑客組織「無名氏」前晚即攻擊 FBI、司法部、環球唱片及美國唱片業協會等網站報復，多個網站癱瘓達數小時。


法新社/美聯社 



香港凍結Megaupload逾3億資產　
香港電台 
1/21/2012


美國關閉以香港為基地的檔案分享網站Megaupload，香港海關配合相關行動，同美國執法機構合作，搗破有關集團，查獲大量電子證據，並凍結3億3千萬港元涉案資產，包括銀行存款及股票投資。


海關調動大約100人，搜查全港4個地方，並查問多名有關人士，包括涉案公司董事。


調查顯示，涉案平台貯存大量侵權物品，供人網上下載，已從事有關侵權活動超過5年，收入相當於大約13億6千萬港元。
另外，新西蘭警方應美國要求，拘捕Megaupload創辦人施米茨和3名員工。


他們其後在奧克蘭出席有關引渡去美國的聆訊，法官不准4人保釋，還押監房，
下星期一再應訊。

Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload

Feds shut down popular file-sharing website Megaupload
Five-count indictment alleges copyright infringement, conspiracy to commit money laundering, racketeering
1/19/2012
msnbc


McLEAN, Virginia — One of the world's most popular file-sharing sites was shut down, and its founder and several company officials were accused of facilitating millions of illegal downloads of films, music and other content.


A federal indictment Thursday accused Megaupload.com of costing copyright holders at least $500 million in lost revenue. The indictment was unsealed one day after websites including Wikipedia and Craigslist shut down in protest of two congressional proposals intended to make it easier for authorities to go after sites with pirated material, especially those with overseas headquarters and servers.


http://easss.com/internet


The news of the shutdown seemed to bring retaliation from hackers who claimed credit for attacking the Justice Department's website. Federal officials confirmed it was down Thursday evening and that the disruption was being "treated as a malicious act."


A loose affiliation of hackers known as "Anonymous" claimed credit for the attack. Also hacked was the site for the Motion Picture Association of America and perhaps others.


Megaupload is based in Hong Kong, but some of the alleged pirated content was hosted on leased servers in Ashburn, Virginia, which gave federal authorities jurisdiction, the indictment said.


The Justice Department said in a statement said that Kim Dotcom, 37, and three other employees were arrested Thursday in New Zealand at the request of U.S. officials. Three other defendants are at large.


The Electronic Frontier Foundation, which defends free speech and digital rights online, said in a statement that, "This kind of application of international criminal procedures to Internet policy issues sets a terrifying precedent. If the United States can seize a Dutch citizen in New Zealand over a copyright claim, what is next?"
Before Megaupload was taken down, it posted a statement saying allegations that it facilitated massive breaches of copyright laws were "grotesquely overblown."


"The fact is that the vast majority of Mega's Internet traffic is legitimate, and we are here to stay. If the content industry would like to take advantage of our popularity, we are happy to enter into a dialogue. We have some good ideas. Please get in touch," the statement said.


Meanwhile, the Justice Department said its Web server for justice.gov was "experiencing a significant increase in activity, resulting in a degradation in service." It was working to fix it and "investigate the origins of this activity, which is being treated as a malicious act until we can fully identify the root cause of the disruption," the agency's statement said.


A spokesman for the Motion Picture Association of America said in an emailed statement that the group's site had been hacked, although it appeared to be working later in the evening.
"The motion picture and television industry has always been a strong supporter of free speech," the spokesman said. "We strongly condemn any attempts to silence any groups or individuals."


Megaupload was unique not only because of its massive size and the volume of downloaded content, but also because it had high-profile support from celebrities, musicians and other content producers who are most often the victims of copyright infringement and piracy. Before the website was taken down, it contained endorsements from Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys and Kanye West, among others.


The company listed Swizz Beatz, a musician who married Keys in 2010, as its CEO. He was not named in the indictment and declined to comment through a representative.


According to the indictment, Megaupload was estimated at one point to be the 13th most frequently visited website on the Internet. Current estimates by companies that monitor Web traffic place it in the top 100.
The five-count indictment, which alleges copyright infringement as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering and racketeering, described a site designed specifically to reward users who uploaded pirated content for sharing, and turned a blind eye to requests from copyright holders to remove copyright-protected files.


For instance, users received cash bonuses if they uploaded content popular enough to generate massive numbers of downloads, according to the indictment. Such content was almost always copyright protected.
The site boasted 150 million registered users and about 50 million hits daily. The Justice Department said it was illegal for anyone to download pirated content, but their investigation focused on the leaders of the company, not end users who may have downloaded a few movies for personal viewing.


A lawyer who represented the company in a lawsuit last year declined comment Thursday. Efforts to reach an attorney representing Dotcom were unsuccessful.
Megaupload is considered a "cyberlocker," in which users can upload and transfer files that are too large to send by email. Such sites can have perfectly legitimate uses. But the Motion Picture Association of America, which has campaigned for a crackdown on piracy, estimated that the vast majority of content being shared on Megaupload was in violation of copyright laws.


The website allowed users to download some content for free, but made money by charging subscriptions to people who wanted access to faster download speeds or extra content. The website also sold advertising.
The indictment was returned in the Eastern District of Virginia, which claimed jurisdiction in part because some of the alleged pirated materials were hosted on leased servers in Ashburn, Virginia. Prosecutors there have pursued multiple piracy investigations.


Steven T. Shelton, a copyright lawyer at the Cozen O'Connor firm in New York, said opponents of the legislation are worried the proposals lessen the burden for the government to target a wide variety of websites. Shelton said he expects to see the government engage in more enforcement in the future, as technology makes it easier to catch and target suspected pirates.