Dotcom, the 38-year-old self made online millionaire originally from Germany whose real name is Kim Schmitz, has proposed that all households in his new home of New Zealand will get free access to broadband internet through legal challenges against the United States, according to The Guardian.
Dotcom’s Megalupload website caught the attention of US authorities who claimed it was being used to share copyright films and music and made moves to extradite the site’s founder. The New Zealand High Court ruled that a raid on Dotcom’s mansion by the FBI in January 2012 was illegal.
His extradition hearing is scheduled for March 2013, but the ruling on the illegal FBI raid by the High Court is likely to affect the extradition request.
The ambitious plan for free broadband is part of Dotcom’s bid to get public support for his case. In another rebellious move, the entrepreneur has begun the launch of new website Mega, using the domain name me.ga with promises that “The new Mega will not be threatened by US prosecutors,”
“The new Mega avoids any dealings with US hosters, US domains and US backbone providers and has changed the way it operates to avoid another takedown.”
Dotcom has lived in New Zealand for two years, having previously lived and worked in Hong Kong.
Main image: Kim Dotcom and his wife Mona arrive at Auckland High Court on August 7, 2012 (Getty images)
