Megaupload raid warrant 'invalid', New Zealand judge says

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The search warrants used to raid the home of Megaupload owner Kim Dotcom were invalid, a New Zealand judge has ruled.

Action by the FBI to copy data and take it offshore to the US was also deemed unlawful.

"The warrants did not adequately describe the offences to which they related," High Court judge Justice Helen Winkelmann said.

Mr Dotcom was arrested, along with four others, in January.

Millions of dollars in assets were seized or frozen including almost 20 luxury vehicles, dozens of computers and art works.

However, Justice Winkelmann said the warrant for the search fell "well short" of outlining Mr Dotcom's alleged offences.

"They were general warrants, and as such, are invalid," she said.

In response to the judge's decision, New Zealand police said they were in discussions with Crown Law "to determine what further action might be required".

Mr Dotcom's site was said to have made $175m since 2005 by copying and distributing copyrighted material without authorisation.

The site's lawyers have said Megaupload simply offered online storage.

Mr Dotcom is currently on bail.

Posted:

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18623043

Comments

"Megaupload raid warrant 'invalid', New Zealand judge says" :: Login/Create an Account :: 68 comments

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XeDragHDPosted:

BritishColumbia
FPS_Ryan I hope megaupload starts back up again. and Mr. Dotcom is an awesome name.


its never going to go back up, even if they did i think all of the files are gone


You sure? People always say once something goes on the internet... it can never be erased. Im not sure when the FBI get invloved if that still comes to mind but you never know.

brendan64sharkPosted:

berk549 he was rank 1 in MW3 before he went to jail in FREE FOR ALL he back home and is like aww **** i mean i wouid be mad to lol hes probally like no way even near rank 1 anymore by the way he is a lvl 80 0 presitge he isnt gonna presitge lol wanderning wat he is gonna do with his xbox


I would really be angry If that happened to me

MawderzPosted:

AngelWhat man :/....i hope megaupload goes back up seriously.


It wont, there's still other file sharing sites though. :p

SakiPosted:

'Mr Dotcom's site was said to have made $175m since 2005 by copying and distributing copyrighted material without authorisation.'

He didn't get shit from the copyrighted material... ADS people ADS!!

That is how you get paid.

FrogPosted:

AngelWhat man :/....i hope megaupload goes back up seriously.


Nah it will never happen.

berk549 he was rank 1 in MW3 before he went to jail in FREE FOR ALL he back home and is like aww **** i mean i wouid be mad to lol hes probally like no way even near rank 1 anymore by the way he is a lvl 80 0 presitge he isnt gonna presitge lol wanderning wat he is gonna do with his xbox


What are you on about?!

berk549Posted:

he was rank 1 in MW3 before he went to jail in FREE FOR ALL he back home and is like aww **** i mean i wouid be mad to lol hes probally like no way even near rank 1 anymore by the way he is a lvl 80 0 presitge he isnt gonna presitge lol wanderning wat he is gonna do with his xbox

AngelWhatPosted:

man :/....i hope megaupload goes back up seriously.

fwizPosted:

damn 175 mill this guy is lodadded

BritishColumbiaPosted:

Lol the video of his house getting raided

Third_EyePosted:

1) Megaupload was not hosted in the US
2) Megaupload was not made for pirating, that's just what people used it for.
3) Copyrighted material was removed from Megaupload
4) There are many sites dedicated to pirating.
5) There are many sites dedicated to torrents, which are used for piracy 99% of the time.
6) People uploaded personal files to share on Megaupload, which were lost.
7) Megaupload was one of the, if not, the, biggest file sharing site in the world.
8) Kim Dotcom is a bada$$.

Bring Megaupload back! F*ck the FBI! They aren't an official government agency (look it up) and they had no right to do this imo.