MegaUpload’s founder Kim Dotcom has been granted bail, according to several reports from New Zealand. The North Shore District Court found that since the authorities froze all assets, he was incapable of fleeing the country.
“Since that time, all known assets have been seized and are unavailable for Mr. Dotcom’s use or disposal,” Judge Nevin Dawson said. “No new assets or accounts of any significance have been revealed since his arrest. Mr. Dotcom’s submission that he has not concealed any assets or bank accounts has largely been borne out.”
According to Computerworld, Dawson also wrote that an extradition hearing might be delayed by several months.
“The present indications are that an extradition hearing is likely to take four days and is unlikely to occur before the end of May 2012 and more likely not until July 2012,” he wrote. “It is submitted that the period of remand is likely to be lengthy, is consequently onerous, and effectively punitive upon the applicant notwithstanding that no criminal conduct has been established.”
Kim Dotcom was arrested on January 20 after the United States launched a siege against the file hosting service. The service was pulled, leaving many unable to access their files; and Dotcom and three other people are facing extradition to the United States to hear charges including facilitating illegal downloads and racketeering.
His three associates – Mathias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk and Finn Batato – have all been previously granted bail. All four all deny the charges.