Internet tycoon ready for FBI showdown

Internet tycoon at the centre of a US investigation into online piracy and fraud, said this week he was willing to go to the US to clear his name, offering to forego a pending extradition hearing in New Zealand, according to Reuters.

Dotcom, the founder of the Megaupload file-sharing site, challenged the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to a fair trial, and said he was willing to face them in court in the US if they agreed to certain conditions.

In its highest profile investigation into online piracy, the FBI alleges that Dotcom led a group that has netted $175 million since 2005 by copying and distributing music, movies and other copyrighted content without authorisation, reports Yahoo News.

His lawyers say the company simply offered online storage.

Dotcom's offer comes a day after a New Zealand court delayed a hearing into the US extradition request until March next year because of ongoing legal hearings related to the search and seizure of evidence by the US.