Megaupload Former shareholders agree with US to try in New Zealand | Culture and entertainment

Two former partners of the missing portal Megaupload, wanted by the United States since 2012 in connection with the world’s biggest hacking scandal, have reached an agreement to be investigated in New Zealand, local media reported on Tuesday.

In exchange for facing legal action in New Zealand for 13 charges, the lawyers for Bram van der Golk and Matthias Artman said in a statement that computer scientists would no longer be deported to the United States, as the New Zealand judiciary has firmly established. , Among them computer hacking and money laundering, public station Radio New Zealand collects.

“Once these allegations are resolved by the New Zealand courts, the United States will withdraw its extradition proceedings against us,” the two former Megaupload partners quoted the NewsTalk NZ portal as saying, “they insist there is still a process ahead.”

In addition to these two former allies, the North American nation initially tried to try the other two founders of the closed download portal, Kim Dotcom and Finn Patado, in its territory, but last year the United States withdrew its handover request for the following. Serious health problem.

“I am the last man in this fight and I will continue to fight because, unlike my fellow criminals, I will not accept the injustice done to us. Dotcom denied the allegations on Twitter.

New Zealand Justice Minister Chris Fafoe has put the decision to hand over Dotcom in his hands after the Supreme Court in December 2021 met the conditions for deporting 12 of the 13 charges against them.

U.S. officials said in 2012 that Megaupload had illegally earned $ 175 million (150 150 million at the exchange rate of that date) by hosting illegal products among its 50 million users. EFE

wat / nc / amd