Kim Dotcom is an internet entrepreneur best known for his involvement in the now-defunct Megaupload website. Kim Schmitz was born in 1974 in Kiel, Germany. He formally changed his surname to Dotcom in 1994.
He stated that he chose the surname because he wanted a cool family name.Dotcom has stated that he acquired the idea for his surname after meeting a man named Dotcom in the Philippines. Kim persuaded this man to adopt his wife, after which he submitted paperwork in Hong Kong to adopt his wife's surname, thereby becoming Kim Dotcom.
Dotcom is presently residing in New Zealand, where he is resisting extradition to the United States on charges of infringement of intellectual property, racketeering, and money laundering. He faces up to 20 years in jail if extradited and convicted.