Kim Dotcom is one step closer to facing trial in the United States, as New Zealand received formal extradition papers from its ally.
The extradition papers for Kim Dotcom and three associates were filed with a New Zealand court on 5 March by lawyers representing the United States.
Dotcom and his co-accused are charged with criminal copyright infringement and money-laundering "on a massive scale" under US law.
AP newswire says the charges against Dotcom, Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk carry maximum prison sentences of 20 years.
Dotcom and his colleagues are currently under house arrest in Auckland, New Zealand. The extradition case will be heard in August.
Reuters reports that when Dotcom was recently placed under house arrest, and demanded $NZ 220,000 (£113,704) of his frozen assets to live. The New Zealand High Court granted him £16,500.
The court application demanding the funds said the money would cover lease of Dotcom mansion, wages for staff, living expenses and utilities.
The application revealed that Dotcom pays $NZ1 million a year (£516,714) to lease the estate and pays £25,800 a month for a nanny, a tutor, personal assistants and four bodyguards.
It's no surprise that Dotcom asked for so much cash - he is known to splash it about.
Dotcom donated US $500,00 worth of New Year's Eve fireworks to Auckland in 2010, as a gift to the city in celebration of Immigration New Zealand granting residency to the Dotcom family, according to a post on YouTube under the username "Mr Kim Dotcom".
Rick Shera, A New Zealand internet lawyer contacted by the Huffington Post that Dotcom will has not committed a crime under New Zealand law.
"If the activities which are alleged were within NZ jurisdiction, then yes, they could be prosecuted here (our copyright law is similar to yours in the UK). The Police have advised that no NZ charges are to be laid - it is all related to extradition proceedings (a remarkable coincidence given the guy about to be extradited for copyright infringement from UK)," he said.