A New Zealand court has ruled that warrants used by police to raid the mansion of Megaupload founder and alleged Internet pirate Kim Dotcom were illegal.
Dotcom, a German national, was one of four men arrested in January during the FBI-led investigation into the illegal trading of copyrighted content.
Prosecutors say Dotcom's group has taken in $175 million since 2005 by copying and distributing music, movies, and other copyrighted content without authorization.
Dotcom's lawyers say the company simply offered online storage.
The court in Wellington found on June 28 that moves by the FBI to copy data from Dotcom's computer and take it to the United States were unlawful.
Police said they are considering the judgment and will make no further comment until they determine what future action might be required.
Dotcom, a German national, was one of four men arrested in January during the FBI-led investigation into the illegal trading of copyrighted content.
Prosecutors say Dotcom's group has taken in $175 million since 2005 by copying and distributing music, movies, and other copyrighted content without authorization.
Dotcom's lawyers say the company simply offered online storage.
The court in Wellington found on June 28 that moves by the FBI to copy data from Dotcom's computer and take it to the United States were unlawful.
Police said they are considering the judgment and will make no further comment until they determine what future action might be required.