Kim Dotcom Fends Off Arrest Before Conspiracy Theories and Reality Collide (torrentfreak.com) 28
TorrentFreak's Andy Maxwell reports: In August, New Zealand's Justice Minister authorized Kim Dotcom's immediate arrest and extradition. Dotcom's response to his followers on X was simple: "I'm not leaving." Another post mid-September -- "we are very close to disaster" -- led to Dotcom disappearing for three weeks. On his return, Dotcom said X had suspended his account, based on an extremely serious allegation. After accusing Elon Musk of failing to help, yesterday Dotcom warned that a Trump loss would see Musk indicted and "fighting for his life." Dotcom has a plan to avoid extradition; chaos like this provides the fuel.
The details of Dotcom's "plan" to stay in New Zealand are yet to be revealed. Given Dotcom's history, exhausting the judiciary with every possible avenue of appeal is pretty much guaranteed, no matter how unlikely the prospects of success. At the same time, it's likely that Dotcom will use social media to preach to the existing choir. He will also try to appeal to those who loathe him, and those who merely hate him, by focusing on a common grievance. "People keep suggesting that I should leave this corrupt US colony like a fugitive on the run. Hell no," he told 1.7 million X followers recently. "Corrupt US colony" and the interchangeable "obedient" variant are clearly derogatory, catering to theories of joint complicity and sniveling weakness. This rhetoric has been visible on Dotcom's social media accounts for some time, but the main theme is Dotcom's belligerent, out-of-the-blue support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [...]
Some people believe that Dotcom genuinely supports Russia and, with his quotes regularly appearing on state-run news channels, arguing otherwise is a pretty tough ask. A different assessment starts with the things Dotcom values most -- his family, his wealth, and his freedom -- and applies that to a reputation of doing whatever it takes to protect and maintain those three, non-negotiable aspects of his life. Right now, his best chance is to tilt the chess board via a change at the White House, and then carefully exploit a change in policy. Dotcom's colleagues took a plea deal from the U.S. and New Zealand that Dotcom insists he would never accept; certainly not if Biden was in power. A Donald Trump win, on the other hand, would introduce an administration Dotcom could be seen to negotiate with, on previously unthinkable terms, without losing face. Previous reluctance to admit any wrongdoing could suddenly seem trivial after the prevention of World War 3.
[Since 2022, Dotcom supported narratives more closely aligned with those of the Kremlin, in particular the claim that United States policy is the root cause of the current conflict. The amplification of anti-Ukraine rumors in the United States, strategically links alleged U.S. policy failures to billions of dollars in military aid, all at taxpayers' expense. This toxic mix, Dotcom insists, heralds the collapse of the dollar, the dismantling of the "US Empire," and ultimately a global human catastrophe; World War 3, no holds barred.]
The details of Dotcom's "plan" to stay in New Zealand are yet to be revealed. Given Dotcom's history, exhausting the judiciary with every possible avenue of appeal is pretty much guaranteed, no matter how unlikely the prospects of success. At the same time, it's likely that Dotcom will use social media to preach to the existing choir. He will also try to appeal to those who loathe him, and those who merely hate him, by focusing on a common grievance. "People keep suggesting that I should leave this corrupt US colony like a fugitive on the run. Hell no," he told 1.7 million X followers recently. "Corrupt US colony" and the interchangeable "obedient" variant are clearly derogatory, catering to theories of joint complicity and sniveling weakness. This rhetoric has been visible on Dotcom's social media accounts for some time, but the main theme is Dotcom's belligerent, out-of-the-blue support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [...]
Some people believe that Dotcom genuinely supports Russia and, with his quotes regularly appearing on state-run news channels, arguing otherwise is a pretty tough ask. A different assessment starts with the things Dotcom values most -- his family, his wealth, and his freedom -- and applies that to a reputation of doing whatever it takes to protect and maintain those three, non-negotiable aspects of his life. Right now, his best chance is to tilt the chess board via a change at the White House, and then carefully exploit a change in policy. Dotcom's colleagues took a plea deal from the U.S. and New Zealand that Dotcom insists he would never accept; certainly not if Biden was in power. A Donald Trump win, on the other hand, would introduce an administration Dotcom could be seen to negotiate with, on previously unthinkable terms, without losing face. Previous reluctance to admit any wrongdoing could suddenly seem trivial after the prevention of World War 3.
[Since 2022, Dotcom supported narratives more closely aligned with those of the Kremlin, in particular the claim that United States policy is the root cause of the current conflict. The amplification of anti-Ukraine rumors in the United States, strategically links alleged U.S. policy failures to billions of dollars in military aid, all at taxpayers' expense. This toxic mix, Dotcom insists, heralds the collapse of the dollar, the dismantling of the "US Empire," and ultimately a global human catastrophe; World War 3, no holds barred.]
What a tool (Score:5, Insightful)
I actually thought he was cool once, sticking it to MAFIAA and the man.
But now as a right wing nut job he can rot in jail for all I care.
Re: (Score:1)
Re:What a tool (Score:5, Insightful)
Two (well actually three) things are true at the same time.
Truth #1: "Copyright Law" is in an incredibly fucked-up state.
Truth #2: The USA believing it gets to just do whatever it wants far outside its borders to people who have never lived in the USA and aren't citizens of the USA is some really fucked-up imperialist shit.
Truth #3: Kim Dotcom is a fucking unsympathetic grifter with delusions of grandeur, and quite possibly the worst possible person to try to advocate and/or fight in any nation's courts against #1 and #2.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: What a tool (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Snoop "giving up smoke" was promo for a propane grill or something.
Re: What a tool (Score:2)
What crime did he commit? (Score:3)
Re: What crime did he commit? (Score:2)
He should've moved to a country with section 230...oh, wait...
Re:It's not pro-Russia to point out root cause of (Score:4, Informative)
Fucking Russian Orcs. FUCK OFF. The "root cause" of the invasion was Russian expansionism. And the "root cause" of it continuing is Putin not wanting to give up. We stop helping them defend themselves, and how does that give Russia incentive to give up?
Never mind, you'll just repeat some Tru- ... Putin propaganda.
Re: It's not pro-Russia to point out root cause of (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
Nobody wants Ukrainians to die. But they are willing to do so to defend their own freedom. And the US is willing to fund them as long as they are willing to fight. It is, after all, how the US was formed as well. With funding from France.
If giving up your own freedom is so preferable to fighting for it, perhaps you are living in the wrong country. There are many tyrants who would be happy with such a docile populace.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Let's see:
1. Russia invades Ukraine in an attempt to reassemble their empire. Check.
2. Ukraine defends itself. Check.
3. It's all Biden's fault. Che- Wait a minute? WTFF?
Re: (Score:1)
Biden probably could have stepped in to halt the invasion. We used Stare Department officials during the Bush years to keep Russia out of Tbilisi for at least a few weeks. We could have bought the Ukrainians some time and started arms shipments before the invasion. Woulda coulda shoulda. At the same time, it is undoubtedly Putin who started the war.
Re:It's not pro-Russia to point out root cause of (Score:4, Insightful)
Or, you know, Russia could just cut their losses and pull out of Ukraine.
TwitX (Score:4, Funny)
Dotcom said X had suspended his account, based on an extremely serious allegation.
As we've come to expect, Twitter is the true defender of free speech! Huzzah for Twitter, and three cheers for X!
Re: (Score:3)
Yep, Elon is a man of principle and he won't let money or self-interest get in the way of his crusade to protect free speech
He'd never become a hypocrite [bbc.com], would he?
A "Complicit" state (Score:2)
Well, it _is_ one of the Five Eyes, so the claim is not without evidence of NZ being complicit, or at least compliant (in the sense of being bendable, not of complying with orders)
He can hide among hobbits and sheep (Score:2)
Just look at Lord of the Rings.
You wouldn't notice Kim if he were hiding among the hobbits in New Zealand.
Musk has nothing to fear (Score:2)
Conservative and Liberal politicians alike both love the smell of Elon's money. On top of that cynical but probably accurate take on human nature.
He can say literal Nazi shit and it isn't hard to find a liberal or two that will buy his cars and defend him on online for free. Maybe they hoping to volunteer for a Mars trip, I'm not sure what angle the fanbois have.
Re: (Score:3)
No idea what that obsession with this obvious asshole is. If you bow to money, you are just deeply corrupt yourself.