Megaupload shut down by US officials - Tech News - Digital SpyThe site is one of the world's most popular file-sharing services, but has now been closed following allegations that its founder and several other executives were charged with violating a number of piracy laws.
The allegations state that Megaupload has cost copyright holders a loss of over $500 million (£320m) in revenue from pirated films and other media.
It appears that its spinoff sites including Megavideo and Megapix have also been shut down for the time being.
A statement posted on the FBI's website read: "This action is among the largest criminal copyright cases ever brought by the United States and directly targets the misuse of a public content storage and distribution site to commit and facilitate intellectual property crime."
The Justice Department explained that Kim Dotcom (formerly Kim Schmitz) and three others were arrested in New Zealand.
Megaupload had released a statement shortly before the shutdown, stating that the allegations were "grotesquely overblown".
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