Kim Dotcom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kim Dotcom
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Dotcom in 2014
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| Born |
Kim Schmitz
21 January 1974 Kiel, West Germany
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| Nationality |
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| Other names | Kimble, Kim Tim Jim Vestor |
| Citizenship | New Zealand |
| Education | Middle school |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Megaupload, Mega and K.im |
| Height | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Political party | Internet Party (2014–2018) |
| Spouse(s) |
Mona Verga
(m. 2009; div. 2014)Elizabeth Donnelly
(m. 2018) |
| Children | 6 |
Kim Dotcom, born Kim Schmitz on January 21, 1974, is a well-known Internet entrepreneur and activist. He is also known by the names Kimble and Kim Tim Jim Vestor. Kim Dotcom has both German and Finnish backgrounds and currently lives in New Zealand.
Who is Kim Dotcom?
Kim Dotcom was born Kim Schmitz in 1974 in Kiel, a city in northern Germany. At that time, it was part of West Germany. His mother was Finnish, so he also has a Finnish passport and family in Finland. His father was German. In 2005, he legally changed his last name to Dotcom.
Early Internet Ventures
Dotcom became famous in Germany during the 1990s. He was known as a computer expert and an Internet entrepreneur. He started several online businesses.
He founded and was the CEO of a popular file-sharing website called Megaupload. This website allowed users to upload and share large files. Megaupload operated from 2005 until 2012.
Legal Challenges and New Projects
In 2012, authorities in the United States took down the Megaupload website. They made accusations against Dotcom related to the site's activities. At the time, Dotcom was living in New Zealand. New Zealand police raided his home and arrested him at the request of US authorities. He was later released on bail. Dotcom began legal efforts to prevent being sent to the United States. His extradition order was eventually signed on August 15, 2024.
In 2013, Dotcom launched a new online storage service called Mega. This service allowed users to store their files securely in the cloud. However, he later ended his involvement with Mega in 2015.
He also started and helped fund a political group called the Internet Party in New Zealand. This party took part in the 2014 and 2017 general elections in New Zealand. However, it did not win any seats in parliament.
Life in New Zealand
Before his arrest in New Zealand, Kim Dotcom lived a very luxurious life. In 2001, his main income came from a company called Kimvestor. He was known for spending a lot of money on fancy cars and boats. For example, during a famous car race in Monaco in 2000, Dotcom rented a huge yacht. He used it to host parties for important guests.
He was granted permanent residency in New Zealand in November 2010. While his residency was being considered, Dotcom planned a large fireworks show in Auckland. It was going to cost NZ$600,000. He also leased a very expensive mansion in Coatesville, a rural area near Auckland. He hoped to buy this mansion later.
Kim Dotcom was also a very skilled video game player. Before his arrest, he was ranked as the number one player worldwide in the game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. He had the most total kills in the "free for all" mode out of over 15 million online players.
Other Activities
After the September 11 attacks in the United States, Dotcom started a group called Young Intelligent Hackers Against Terrorism (YIHAT). He claimed to have found bank accounts belonging to a terrorist leader. He even offered a large reward for information leading to the capture of this leader.
In February 2012, a musician named Lindsey Stirling released a music video. This video, called "Lord of The Rings Medley," was funded by Kim Dotcom.
In June 2012, Dotcom announced plans for a new music streaming service called Megabox. He said it would launch on January 19, 2013. This date was the first anniversary of Megaupload being shut down.
On November 2, 2012, Dotcom announced a new file storage service. It was similar to Megaupload and used the domain name me.ga. It was also planned to launch on January 19, 2013. However, the country of Gabon, which controls the .ga domain, canceled the me.ga name. The service then registered new names like mega.co.nz and mega.net.nz. This new service offered file encryption to keep user data private and secure.
Dotcom has also been involved in his local community in Auckland. In December 2012, he played the part of Santa Claus in a play called MegaChristmas. He also helped turn on the Christmas lights on Franklin Road in Auckland and gave a speech.
On September 4, 2013, Dotcom stepped down as a director of Mega. He announced he was working on a music streaming service called Baboom. He said it would be even more advanced than Megabox.
On September 10, 2013, Dotcom announced he would play 100 people in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. This event took place at New Zealand's first Digital Entertainment Expo.
In December 2014, Dotcom helped stop online attacks on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. He gave a group called Lizard Squad many free accounts for his Mega service.
In 2017, a documentary film about Kim Dotcom was released. It was called Kim Dotcom: Caught in the Web. The film premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival.
In November 2019, Dotcom had plans to launch his own digital currency. However, these plans were canceled due to rules and regulations.
Music Albums
| Year | Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| NZ | |||
| 2014 | Good Times |
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8 |
| "—" means it didn't appear on the charts or wasn't released there. | |||
Music Singles
- "Megaupload" (2011)
- "Mr President" (2012)
- "Precious" (2012)
- "Good Life" (2016)
Images for kids
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Dotcom in 2014
See also
In Spanish: Kim Dotcom para niños
