Megaupload Effect: FileSonic Stops File Sharing Too
Megaupload Effect: FileSonic Stops File Sharing Too megaupload

Washington attorney Robert Bennett would be representing the executives of Megaupload.com when they appear in court, the Associated Press reported.

US authorities shut down the Hong Kong-based Megaupload on Thursday charging the file-sharing website with copyright infringement and piracy.

"We intend to vigorously defend against these charges," the AP quoted Brennet, a supporter of free speech and online digital rights, as saying.

Robert Bennet had earlier represented former president Bill Clinton in sexual harassment charges, and corporate giant Enron against allegations of corporate fraud. The high profile lawyer had also represented Defense Secretaries Clark Clifford and Caspar Weinberger.

New Zealand police has arrested the owner of Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, and three other executives on charges of copyright violations and illegal file-sharing. The U.S government has accused the company of illegal downloading of copyrighted films, music and other content causing $500 million in revenue loss.

A resident of Hong Kong and New Zealand, the owner of Megaupload.com was previously known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Vestor before he legally changed his name to Kim Dotcom.

The 37-year-old is a resident of Hong Kong and New Zealand and a dual citizen of Finland and Germany.

According to an AP report, New Zealand police have raided several homes and businesses linked to Kim Dotcom and captured guns, millions of dollars and nearly $5 million in luxury cars.

In Hong Kong, customs officials seized more than $42.5 million in assets including high speed servers and other expensive office equipment.

The company has refuted the allegations levelled against the website.

"Of course, abuse does happen and is an inevitable fact of life in a free society, but it is curbed heavily and efficiently by our close cooperation with trusted takedown partners. It is just unfortunate that the activities of a small group of black sheep overshadow the millions of users that use our sites legitimately every day," the AP quoted the company as saying.

One of the world's biggest file-sharing sites with more than 150 million registered users, Megaupload.com alone generates about one percent of traffic on U.S. cable and DSL lines.

The U.S accused the company of earning $42 million in 2010 alone through its alleged illegal activities.