To avoid US extradition, Megaupload pair plead guilty in NZ
By NICK PERRY
Associated Press
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Two men have pleaded guilty in New Zealand to their involvement in running the once wildly popular pirating website Megaupload. The pleas by Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk at the Auckland High Court ended their 10-year legal battle on charges that included racketeering. The guilty plea is part of a deal they struck in May to avoid extradition to the United States. The pair have been released on bail pending sentencing and face a maximum 10 years in prison. The U.S. is still seeking to extradite Megaupload’s founder Kim Dotcom from New Zealand.