Read the indictment against Megaupload - income in excess of $175,000,000
washingtonpost.com
washingtonpost.com
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KIM DOTCOM, MEGAUPLOAD LIMITED, VESTOR LIMITED, FINN BATATO, JULIUS BENCKO, SVEN ECHTERNACH, MATHIAS ORTMANN, ANDRUS NOMM, and BRAM VAN DER KOLK, the defendants, and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, were members of the “Mega Conspiracy,” a worldwide criminal organization whose members engaged in criminal copyright infringement and money laundering on a massive scale with estimated harm to copyright holders well in excess of $500,000,000 and reported income in excess of $175,000,000.
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Megaupload.com was at one point in its history estimated to be the 13th most frequently visited website on the entire Internet. The site claims to have had more than one billion visitors in its history, more than 180,000,000 registered users to date, an average of 3 50 million daily visits, and to account for approximately four percent of the total traffic on the Internet.
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Subscription fees collected during the existence of the Mega Conspiracy from premium users are estimated to be more than $150 million. Online advertising on Megaupload.com and its associated websites, which is heavily dependent on the popularity of copyright infringing content to attract website visits, has further obtained more than $25 million for the Mega Conspiracy.
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KIM DOTCOM, who has also been known as KIM SCHMITZ and KIM TIM JIM VESTOR, is a resident of both Hong Kong and New Zealand, and a dual citizen of Finland and Germany. DOTCOM is the founder of MEGAUPLOAD LIMITED (“MUL”) and Megamedia Limited (“MMG”). ... In calendar year 2010 alone, DOTCOM received more than $42 million from the Mega Conspiracy.
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VAN DER KOLK had stated, “we have a funny business . . . modern days pirates :)” ORTMANN responded, “we’re not pirates, we’re just providing shipping services to pirates :)”.
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On or about April 8, 2011, VESTOR LIMITED transferred approximately $616,000 to NBS for yacht rental;
b. On or about April 18, 2011, VESTOR LIMITED transferred approximately $3,606,000 to ECL for yacht rental;
c. On or about May 27, 2011, MEGAUPLOAD LIMITED transferred approximately $212,000 to ECL for yacht rental;
d. On or about June 22, 2011, VESTOR LIMITED transferred approximately $1,127,000 to NBS for yacht rental; and
e. On or about June 24, 2011, VESTOR LIMITED transferred approximately $2,394,000 to SYM for yacht rental.
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The United States of America gives notice to all defendants, that upon conviction of any defendant, a money judgment may be imposed on that defendant equal to the total value of the property subject to forfeiture, which is at least $175,000,000.
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The United States of America gives notice to all defendants, that the property to be forfeited includes, but is not limited to, the following: 1. $175,000,000 in United States dollars;
2. Bank of New Zealand, Account No. XX-XXXX-XXXX200-04, in the name of Cleaver Richards Trust Account for Megastuff Limited; 3. Kiwibank, Account No. XX-XXXX-XXXX922-00, in the name of Megastuff Limited Nominee Account No. 1; 4. Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited in Auckland, New Zealand, Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXX2088, in the name of BRAM VAN DER KOLK; 5. Citibank, Account No. XXXXXX3053, in the name of Megacard, Inc.; 6. Citibank, Account No. XXXXXX3066, in the name of Megasite, Inc.; 7. Stadtsparkasse München, Account No. XXXX4734, in the name of FINN BATATO; 8. Commerzbank, Account No. XXXXXXXX4800, in the name of SVEN ECHTERNACH; 9. Deutsche Bank AG, Account No. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX6600, in the name of MATHIAS ORTMANN;
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Rabobank Nederland, Account No. NLXXXXXXXXXXXX7300, in the name of Bramos BV; 58. Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Australia, Account No. XXXXXXXX0087, in the name of MATHIAS ORTMANN; 59. Ceskoslovenska Obchodna Banka Slovakia, Account No. XXXXXXXX9833, in the name of JULIUS BENCKO; 60. Paypal Inc., account paypal@megaupload.com; 61. Paypal Inc., account belonging to KIM DOTCOM (xxxxxx@ultimaterally.com); 62. Paypal Inc., accounts belonging to SVEN ECHTERNACH (xxxxxx@sectravel.com, xxxxxx@sectravel.com, and xxxxxx@sven.com); 63. Paypal Inc., account belonging to BRAM VAN DER KOLK (xxxxxx@bramos.nl); 64. Moneybookers Limited, account belonging to ccmerchant@megaupload.com;
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66. 2010 Maserati GranCabrio, VIN ZAMKM45B000051328, License Plate No. “M-FB 212” or “DH-GC 470”, registered to FINN BATATO;
67. 2009 Mercedes-Benz E500 Coupe, VIN WDD20737225019582, License Plate No. “FEG690”;
68. 2005 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM, VIN WDB2093422F165517, License Plate No. “GOOD”;
69. 2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM AMG 5.5L Kompressor, VIN WDB2093422F166073, License Plate No. “EVIL”;
70. 2010 Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG L, VIN WDD2211792A324354, License Plate No. “CEO”; 70
71. 2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drop Head Coupe, VIN SCA2D68096UH07049; License Plate No. “GOD”;
72. 2010 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, VIN WDD2120772A103834, License Plate No. “STONED”;
73. 2010 Mini Cooper S Coupe, VIN WMWZG32000TZ03651, License Plate No. “V”;
74. 2010 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, VIN WDC1641772A608055, License Plate No. “GUILTY”;
75. 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG, VIN WDD2163792A025130, License Plate No. “KIMCOM”;
76. 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, VIN WDC1641772A542449, License Plate No. “MAFIA”;
77. 2010 Toyota Vellfire, VIN 7AT0H65MX11041670, License Plate Nos. “WOW” or “7”;
78. 2011 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG, VIN WDB4632702X193395, License Plate Nos. “POLICE” or “GDS672”;
79. 2011 Toyota Hilux, VIN MR0FZ29G001599926, License Plate No. “FSN455”;
80. Harley Davidson Motorcycle, VIN 1HD1HPH3XBC803936, License Plate No. “36YED”;
81. 2010 Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG, VIN WDD2163742A026653, License Plate No. “HACKER”;
82. 2005 Mercedes-Benz A170, VIN WDD1690322J184595, License Plate No. “FUR252”;
83. 2005 Mercedes-Benz ML500, VIN WDC1641752A026107, License Plate No. DFF816;
84. Fiberglass sculpture, imported from the United Kingdom with Entry No. 83023712;
85. 1957 Cadillac El Dorado, VIN 5770137596; 86. 2010 Sea-Doo GTX Jet Ski, VIN YDV03103E010; 87. 1959 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible, VIN 59F115669; 88. Von Dutch Kustom Motor Bike, VIN 1H9S14955BB451257; 89. 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM, VIN WDB2094421T067269; 90. 2010 Mini Cooper S Coupe, VIN WMWZG32000TZ03648 License Plate No. “T”; 71 91. 1989 Lamborghini LM002, VIN ZA9LU45AXKLA12158, License Plate No. “FRP358”; 92. 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63, VIN 4JGBB7HB0BA666219; 93. Samsung 820DXN 82” LCD TV; 94. Samsung 820DXN 82” LCD TV; 95. Samsung 820DXN 82” LCD TV;
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110. The following domain names: Megastuff.co; Megaworld.com; Megaclicks.co; Megastuff.info; Megaclicks.org; Megaworld.mobi; Megastuff.org; Megaclick.us; Mageclick.com; HDmegaporn.com; Megavkdeo.com; Megaupload.com; Megaupload.org; Megarotic.com; Megaclick.com; Megavideo.com; Megavideoclips.com; Megaporn.com.
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Signed by: United States Attorney, Chief of Cybercrime Unit, and Assistant Attorney General.