MEGAUPLOAD TIMELINE
The MegaUpload Shutdown Timeline
Follow CMU’s coverage of the legal case against MegaUpload | CLICK for more timelines
THE MEGA SONG DISPUTE
December 2011
• MegaUpload accuses Universal of takedown abuse over all-star video
• MegaUpload sues Universal over YouTube takedown
• MegaUpload frames Universal dispute in context of SOPA
• More words exchanged in Mega Song dispute
• Universal has no special takedown privileges says YouTube
January 2012
• MegaUpload drops Universal lawsuit as founder fights for bail
THE US AUTHORITIES ATTACK
January 2012
• US authorities take MegaUpload offline, and arrest key execs
• Web shifts in the wake of the Mega arrests
• Who is benefiting from the Mega shutdown?
February 2012
• BTjunkie takes itself offline
• Will the Mega swoop lead to more file-sharing site shut downs?
IMPACT OF MEGA SHUTDOWN
December 2012
• MPAA says MegaUpload shutdown a triumph
March 2013
• New research says MegaUpload shutdown was effective
August 2013
• Report claims MegaUpload helped smaller movies
September 2013
• Paper disputes claim that MegaUpload helped mid-sized movies
MEGA EXECS GET BAIL
January 2012
• MegaUpload founder Schmitz refused bail
• Two MegaUpload associates bailed
February 2012
• Mega chief to make second bid for bail
• Mega chief refused bail for a second time
• Mega man bailed
• Third Mega exec bailed
• MegaUpload chief bailed
• US to try to revoke Mega chief’s bail
• Prosecutors fail to have Mega chief’s bail revoked
THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST MEGAUPLOAD PART ONE
February 2012
• US prosecutors make more Mega allegations
• Mega extradition hearings not likely until August
March 2012
• Schmitz hits out at US allegations
• US files extradition papers for Mega four
April 2012
• Footage of the Mega raid has disappeared
• Prosecution object to Mega’s choice of lawyer
• Could technicalities de-rail MegaUpload case?
May 2012
• MegaUpload chief releases diss track against New Zealand MP
• Dotcom won’t reveal passwords in second MegaUpload data dispute
• MegaUpload prosecution told to share evidence with defence
June 2012
• MegaUpload lawyers call on US courts to dismiss infringement case
• MegaUpload prosecutors want more time to share evidence
• MegaUpload says FBI broke law in copying Dotcom’s data
• US prosecutors hit back in MegaUpload case
• MegaUpload prosecutors given more time to share evidence
• MegaUpload lawyers push for quick decision on case dismissal
• Apple co-founder confirms support for Dotcom
• New Zealand judge confirms MegaUpload raid and data share illegal
July 2012
• Efforts to have MegaUpload case dismissed will be considered
• Dotcom says American VP instigated MegaUpload shutdown
• MegaUpload chief’s extradition hearing postponed into 2013
• Dotcom says he’d voluntarily go to America in return for funds
• Prosecutors claim MegaUpload had enough US connections
• MegaUpload – Judge resigns, Beatz mentioned, Dotcom writes
August 2012
• Dotcom claims he was beaten by police during raid
• US must share MegaUpload evidence with Dotcom, court confirms
September 2012
• MegaUpload evidence debate back in New Zealand court
• New Zealand officials snooped on MegaUpload without authority
October 2012
• New Zealand PM denies Hollywood trip linked to MegaUpload case
• US judge denies MegaUpload’s first case dismissal claim
• NZ police investigating Security Bureau over MegaUpload snooping
November 2012
• Dotcom says it’s not his job to “police what people are uploading”
• MegaUpload hearing could be delayed again
• Dotcom says he could sue US government for $2.6 billion
December 2012
• Team Mega given access to records of New Zealand spy agency
January 2013
• MegaUpload says raid warrants dishonestly secured
February 2013
• US DoJ calls Mega claims “sensationalist rhetoric”
March 2013
• New Zealand court says FBI doesn’t have to share all Mega evidence
• Dotcom can still sue New Zealand spy agency
• Mega chief also plans to sue Hong Kong
April 2013
• MegaUpload lawyers call for criminal case to be dismissed again
May 2013
• US Attorney General defends MegaUpload assault
• Lawyer says Germany should intervene in Dotcom case
• New Zealand supreme court to hear MegaUpload evidence case
June 2013
• Dotcom to get his data back, by court order
• Dotcom extradition hearing postponed again
July 2013
• Dotcom’s evidence dispute returns to New Zealand court
September 2013
• Dotcom hits out as police decide not to prosecute NZ agency
• Kim Dotcom sues New Zealand spies
December 2013
• US DoJ publishes some of its evidence against MegaUpload
February 2014
• Raid on Dotcom’s Mega home legal, says New Zealand appeals court
March 2014
• Kim Dotcom extradition hearing delayed again
• NZ courts say US authorities don’t need to disclose more evidence
May 2014
• New Zealand Supreme Court to hear Dotcom’s warrants appeal
June 2014
• Dotcom seeks whistleblower, promises $5 million for evidence
July 2014
• Dotcom passwords must not be shared with the Feds, says judge
• Kim Dotcom’s extradition hearing pushed back into 2015
October 2014
• Double legal setback for Kim Dotcom
November 2014
• Bail conditions tightened for MegaUpload founder
• "Broke" Kim Dotcom to find out about bail status tomorrow
• Kim Dotcom bail hearing continues
December 2014
• MegaUpload founder to remain on bail
• Kim Dotcom’s lawyers get to negotiate with Hong Kong authorities
• Kim Dotcom denies he’s a fugitive
August 2015
• Kim Dotcom posts pre-MegaUpload shutdown chat with Universal
September 2015
• MegaUpload lawyers call for yet another delay in extradition hearing
• Appeal judges refuse to further postpone Kim Dotcom’s extradition hearing
• Kim Dotcom extradition hearing will proceed
ANDRUS NOMM IS JAILED
February 2015
• One of the MegaUpload accused is in the US
• Former MegaUpload exec pleads guilty, jailed for a year
THE EXTRADITION HEARING
September 2015
• Kim Dotcom extradition hearing finally underway
• MegaUpload rewarded top infringers, says prosecutor in extradition case
October 2015
• Defence begins in MegaUpload extradition hearing
• Kim Dotcom takes to the stand in MegaUpload extradition hearing
• MegaUpload defence to get underway next week
November 2015
• MegaUpload defence begins in extradition hearing
• Prosecution set out to embarrass Kim Dotcom, says MegaUpload defence
• Prosecution delivers closing arguments in MegaUpload extradition hearing
• MegaUpload extradition hearing wraps up
December 2015
• New Zealand court says MegaUpload men can be extradited to US
• MegaUpload founder writes ‘Christmas address’
THE EXTRADITION APPEAL
August 2016
• MegaUpload extradition appeal to be livestreamed on YouTube
September 2016
• Closing arguments presented in MegaUpload extradition case
February 2017
• MegaUpload extradition order stands, says court
THE CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST MEGAUPLOAD PART TWO
April 2017
• Court says FBI shouldn’t get to review MegaUpload’s Canadian data
DISPUTES OVER THE MEGAUPLOAD ASSETS
February 2012
• Schmitz to try to reclaim some of his Mega fortune
March 2012
• Mega chief could regain assets after court order error
• Dotcom gets monthly allowance as future of Mega data in doubt
April 2012
• MegaUpload asks courts for access to seized funds
• MegaUpload chief gets back some of his assets
July 2012
• Dotcom says he’d voluntarily go to America in return for funds
August 2012
• MegaUpload founder given access to cash
April 2014
• New Zealand court rules to return assets to Dotcom
• MegaUpload files papers in Hong Kong to get assets back
May 2014
• Prosecutor appeals decision to return Kim Dotcom’s assets
June 2014
• Movie studios to try to stop assets from being returned to Dotcom
• Labels back movie studios in call for Dotcom’s assets to stay frozen
• MegaUpload tries to freeze attempt to freeze MegaUpload unfreeze
July 2014
• Kim Dotcom assets back in court
August 2014
• Appeals court overturns ruling on unfreezing MegaUpload assets
• Kim Dotcom fights to keep finances a secret
October 2014
• Double legal setback for Kim Dotcom
• Kim Dotcom’s battle for his assets moves to Hong Kong
December 2014
• Kim Dotcom’s lawyers get to negotiate with Hong Kong authorities
• Kim Dotcom denies he’s a fugitive
March 2015
• "Broke" Kim Dotcom pushes for access to more of his frozen assets
July 2015
• MegaUpload execs fight to get their assets back from the US government
July 2016
• Twentieth Century Fox accuses Kim Dotcom of breaching court order
August 2016
• Appeals court denies return of Kim Dotcom’s assets due to ‘fugitive’ status
September 2016
• Kim Dotcom’s lawyers seek rehearing in US on seized assets
April 2017
• Kim Dotcom goes to US Supreme Court to fight his ‘fugitive’ status
CIVIL ACTION BY RIGHTS OWNERS
March 2012
• MegaUpload targeted with civil actions
May 2012
• MegaUpload reps want civil cases postponed
July 2012
• CMU Beef Of The Week #120 – Bruce Leddy v Kim Dotcom
April 2014
• US movie studios sue MegaUpload
• Labels sue MegaUpload
May 2014
• MegaUpload asks for record industry’s lawsuit to be postponed
June 2014
• US court puts studio and labels’ MegaUpload lawsuits on hold
July 2014
• MegaUpload lawyers want further postponement of civil litigation
October 2015
• Record industry’s MegaUpload lawsuit postponed again
July 2016
• Kim Dotcom’s lawyer responds to interesting MegaVideo ruling in Italy
November 2016
• Civil cases against MegaUpload kept on hold pending criminal action
April 2017
• Civil actions against MegaUpload postponed yet again
LEGAL WRANGLING OVER THE LOST DATA
January 2012
• What will happen to the legit files on the Mega platform?
• Mega data given two week reprieve
February 2012
• EFF leads charge to save Mega data
March 2012
• Dotcom gets monthly allowance as future of Mega data in doubt
April 2012
• EFF supports claim for access to Mega servers
• MPAA files court papers about Mega servers
• US Attorney doesn’t want to help “innocent” Mega users
• MegaUpload asks courts for access to seized funds
• Mega data hangs in the balance
May 2012
• EFF calls on US court to act over MegaUpload data in limbo
June 2012
• MPAA supports return of lost MegaUpload data – but…
• US prosecutors say former MegaUpload customers should just sue
• Former judge calls prosecutor’s attitude to lost data "outrageous"
October 2012
• New court hearing to consider fate of lost MegaUpload data
• MegaUpload user wants raid documents unsealed
June 2013
• MegaUpload hosting company deletes files
• MegaUpload considering legal action after data wipe
July 2013
• MegaUpload lawyers ask courts to restart lost data talks
October 2013
• Nearly eleven million legit files blocked in Mega shutdown
April 2014
• Lost MegaUpload data sitting in a Virginia warehouse
August 2015
• Server firm seeks to finally delete the old MegaUpload files
• EFF responds to server firm seeking to delete lost MegaUpload files
• Lawyers say the US government should buy lost data servers
September 2015
• US government says former MegaUpload servers ain’t its problem
November 2015
• Judge asks specific questions about lost MegaUpload data
• Stakeholders respond over lost MegaUpload data
May 2016
• MegaUpload data potentially lost as aging hard drives fail, say lawyers
October 2016
• Lost MegaUpload data back in court, yet again
March 2017
• Entertainment industry says it’ll pay to rescue former MegaUpload data
• MegaUpload data to be rescued, though not shared with MegaUpload
April 2017
• The battle for lost MegaUpload data goes to the Fourth Circuit
May 2017
• Fourth Circuit refuses to intervene in fight to regain lost MegaUpload data
NEW SERVICES: MEGA, BABOOM & MEGAUPLOAD V2
January 2012
• Were Mega’s D2F plans behind the major labels’ attack?
August 2012
• Kim Dotcom promises Megabox coming this year
September 2012
• Kim Dotcom previews Megabox
October 2012
• Mega hopes to avoid copyright liability with encryption
• Mega v2 to launch exactly one year after v1’s shutdown
• US says Mega v2 could breach Dotcom’s bail
November 2012
• Dotcom unveils Mega teaser site
• Gabon minister stops the new Mega from using me.ga
• Mega v2 to have New Zealand domain
January 2013
• Kim Dotcom promotes Mega via radio ads
• New Zealand radio firm pulls Mega advertising
• Dotcom launches Mega
• Questions raised over the security of Mega’s encryption
February 2013
• Mega moves to stop unlock code exchange
March 2013
• Megabox could launch in next six months, says Dotcom
September 2013
• Dotcom steps down as Mega director
• Dotcom confirms new name for Megabox D2F project
November 2013
• Baboom to launch in January with Kim Dotcom album
January 2014
• Baboom to launch today with Dotcom album preview
July 2014
• Kim Dotcom planning stock market flotation for Baboom
• Former Sony man joins Baboom
September 2014
• IFPI takes down Dotcom’s album from Dotcom’s storage service
• Mega hits out at inclusion in critical cyber locker report
October 2014
• Baboom cuts ties with Kim Dotcom
August 2015
• Baboom finally goes live, plays with the streaming music model
July 2016
• Kim Dotcom plans to relaunch MegaUpload with original user database
Last updated: May 2017
