Internet mogul Kim Dotcom yesterday said he was offering a US$5 million “bounty” to whistle-blowers for information to help fight an online piracy case brought against him by the US.
The Megaupload founder, who is resisting extradition from New Zealand, said he had to resort to offering the money because the deck was stacked against him in one of the largest copyright infringement cases ever tried.
“My case is unfair,” the German tweeted. “I was declined discovery, I didn’t get my own data back, I need whistleblowers I am offering USD $5M.”
Dotcom, whose Megaupload empire was shut down in January 2012, has long argued that US authorities — aided by ally Wellington — illegally targeted him at the behest of Hollywood studios.
He told tech news Web site TorrentFreak.com that the multimillion dollar offer was aimed at helping him prove that allegation.
“We are asking for information that proves unlawful or corrupt conduct by the US government, the New Zealand government, spy agencies, law enforcement and Hollywood,” he said. “It is the opinion of my legal team that disclosure of such information would be lawful. I would also guarantee any whistle-blower coming forward would have the best legal representation at zero cost.”
Dotcom’s extradition hearing is set for July 7, but has been delayed several times amid legal wrangling over evidence disclosure.
If the 40-year-old and three codefendants are sent to the US, they will face charges of racketeering, money laundering and copyright theft carrying potential jail terms of 20 years.
Dotcom has launched a new venture, Mega, while on bail.
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Taiwan Transport and Storage Corp (TTS, 台灣通運倉儲) yesterday unveiled its first electric tractor unit — manufactured by Volvo Trucks — in a ceremony in Taipei, and said the unit would soon be used to transport cement produced by Taiwan Cement Corp (TCC, 台灣水泥). Both TTS and TCC belong to TCC International Holdings Ltd (台泥國際集團). With the electric tractor unit, the Taipei-based cement firm would become the first in Taiwan to use electric vehicles to transport construction materials. TTS chairman Koo Kung-yi (辜公怡), Volvo Trucks vice president of sales and marketing Johan Selven, TCC president Roman Cheng (程耀輝) and Taikoo Motors Group
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