Kim Dotcom loses latest appeal against extradition to US from New Zealand

US authorities say Megaupload, the site he founded, cost studios and record labels more than $500 million

Kim Dotcom sits in a chair during a court hearing in Auckland, New Zealand, Sept 24, 2015. REUTERS/Nigel Marple

Kim Dotcom lost his latest appeal on Wednesday to avoid extradition to the United States, where he is facing criminal charges relating to the defunct file-sharing website Megaupload that he founded.

German-born Dotcom, who has New Zealand residency, has been fighting extradition to the United States since 2012 following an FBI-ordered raid on his Auckland mansion.

Dotcom, who is on bail, was appealing a 2024 decision by New Zealand that he be extradited to the US. He was 50 that year.

New Zealand's Court of Appeal found on Wednesday there was no legal basis to block his extradition to the US, according to a copy of the judgment.

Dotcom has one final route to appeal the ruling, through the country's top court, the Supreme Court.

Dotcom did not immediately respond to a request for comment via his lawyer on Wednesday.

US authorities say Dotcom and three other Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, which generated more than $175 million in revenue for the website.