Kim Dotcom Denied Bail In New Zealand Court

The Megaupload saga continues. Kim Dotcom, Megaupload’s mega founder, was just denied bail by a New Zealand court citing he’s a flight risk. He will remain in New Zealand’s custody until February 22, when the courts will hear the US Justice Department’s application for Dotcom.

Dotcom insists he’s innocent of the various charges involving racketeering and piracy. His lawyers insist that Dotcom’s company was simply offering an online storage locker and diligently responded to complaints about pirated material.– a dubious statement for anyone familiar with the company. It’s all in the hands in the court now.

Whatever the case might be, Judge David McNaughton sided with prosecutor Anne Toohey who argued that given Dotcom posed a flight risk due to his financial resources, multiple passports and previous criminal convictions. The judge also pointed to the unlawful gun found in Dotcom’s procession during his capture. “It suggests a level of criminality which to my mind could easily extend to exploiting criminal connections to obtain false travel documents and leave the country undetected,” McNaughton added.

This case isn’t likely to go down quietly. It seems that the US Justice Department and the media establishment is gearing up to posterize Megaupload and Kim Dotcom as examples.