Dotcom's file-sharing hive Mega 'sues for copyright infringement'

A company founded by Kim Dotcom, the file-sharing website kingpin who is accused of mass copyright infringement, is reportedly suing another biz for ... copyright infringement.

Cloud storage website Mega.co.nz has apparently fired legal threats at MegaSearch.co.nz, a website that lists links to downloads of unlicensed material, alleging MegaSearch uses Mega's logo and trademarks without permission, TorrentFreak reports.

Mega has closed down scrapers before: MegaSearch.me was shuttered a couple of years ago. Mega works by allowing people to backup files – anything from personal photos and text to movies and pirated software – to its servers, and then share those files with other people, if necessary.

Quite how involved Dotcom really is in Mega isn't clear. The porky profiteer transferred the site's assets to his then-wife Mona Verga Dotcom (really) and children, but the couple have since separated.

Dotcom, whose birth name is Kim Schmitz, lost assets worth $20m – and the number plates GUILTY, MAFIA, and STONED – when his New Zealand mansion was raided by armed FBI agents in 2012. His bank accounts, which held $175m, were also frozen. He is now fighting off extradition to the US, where he is expected to face piracy charges over his previous file-sharing venture – MegaUpload.com. ®