Controversial Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom has described himself as “broke”. Mr Dotcom claims to have spent $10 million on legal fees since he was arrested in 2012 on suspicion of piracy. He says that his defence team parted company with him two weeks ago without giving a reason. Dotcom says that he will now be representing himself. Denying charges including racketeering, conspiring to commit copyright infringement and money laundering, he claimed that his lawyers had stopped representing him after he run out of money.
Dotcom says that the US authorities have drained his resources, making him “defenseless”. Leading news organisations have been unable to receive a response from his former law firm Simpson Grierson. Earlier this year, Dotcom had been given access to a number of his assets which had been frozen. Dotcom still has legal representation outside of the US. He had launched new storage company called Mega after Megaupload was shut down. It’s claimed by the US Justice Department that Megaupload made around $175 before it was shut down, costing rights holders more than $500. The New Zealand resident is facing extradition to the US. His extradition hearing is due to take place in mid-2015.
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