New Zealand judges rules Kim Dotcom can be extradited to US

Just as soon as Judge Nevin Dawson handed down his decision today, Dotcom indicated he will challenge the ruling.

In 2010, it is estimated Dotcom earned US$42 million, his co-accused Mathias Ortmann US$9m, Bram van der Kolk $US2m and Finn Batato US$400,000. However, Judge Dawson declined the request and the group were bailed on their same conditions.

The High Court has that distinction and Dotcom’s lawyer, one Ron Mansfield, said in the presence of The New Zealand Herald that an appeal to that court will be lodged on this very day.

Dotcom’s ex-wife Mona was also in court, along with his co-accused.

Under New Zealand’s Extradition Act, Justice Minister Amy Adams must now decide whether to confirm the court’s decision and go ahead with the extraditions.

Batato’s wife burst into tears upon hearing the judge’s decision.

The charges they faced were not trivial, he said.

Of the four men, three have families with young children.

In the meantime, a fresh bail application is expected, given the defendants’ change of status.

Questioned by reporters as to how he was feeling about the extradition decision, he said: “It’s Christmas”.

New Zealand police, with assistance from US agents, used two helicopters and two SWAT-like special tactic group squads as well as five teams of body-armored officers to raid Dotcom’s mansion on the outskirts of Auckland, seizing luxury vehicles including a 1959 pink Cadillac as well as art, cash, computers and hard drives.

This included a crack at politics during last year’s general election, with the founding of the Internet Party and its ultimately doomed alliance with the Mana Movement, a new encrypted cloud storage venture, his so-called Moment of Truth about New Zealand’s spying practices and an album.

U.S. authorities allege the now defunct Megaupload file-sharing site netted US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners at least US$500 million by offering pirated content.