Megaupload founder gets uncuffed

Notorious Megaupload.com kingpin Kim Dotcom has been relieved of his electronic monitoring cuffs and is returning to graze in his NZ$30 million mansionette rental in suburban Auckland.

Dotcom is on bail awaiting an extradition hearing to the US. He and his co-accused, Mathias Ortmann, Fin Batato and Bram Van der Kolk are embroiled in a US-centric file sharing saga dubbed a ‘Mega Conspiracy’, concerning allegations that his file-sharing website generated in excess of $175 million in criminal proceeds from pirated content.

Judge David Harvey told the Auckland District Court this week that it is unlikely that Dotcom will flee New Zealand. He ruled that the original flight risk was overstated and he no longer needs to be electronically monitored.

Last week Dotcom's defence team filed a motion requesting that he be allowed to move back into the property with his wife Mona and their children.

At a court appearance last week bail conditions were also altered for him to spend more time at Neil Finn’s recording studio where he is recording his own album.

The extradition hearing is scheduled for August.

New Zealand press report that Ortmann, Batato and Van der Kol are also no longer subject to electronic monitoring. ®