Kim Dotcom - Personal Life

Personal Life

Dotcom was born as Kim Schmitz in Kiel, West Germany. He is a large-framed man, two meters (6'6") tall, and weighs more than 130 kilograms (290 lb). He has been called one of the world's "largest tech entrepreneurs" and has made a career out of being larger than life. He legally changed his surname to Dotcom in 2005 apparently in homage to the technology that made him a millionaire.

Prior to his arrest in New Zealand, he openly enjoyed a lavish lifestyle. In 2001 his main source of income was a company called Kimvestor which he valued at 200 million euros. He enjoyed his wealth spending his money on top models, fast cars, and expensive boats. According to The Guardian newspaper he owned a Challenger jet, a helicopter, several sports cars, and a yacht. On one occasion he spent $1 million chartering a 240-foot luxury yacht and moored it in Monte Carlo harbour during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix and threw lavish parties for guests including Prince Rainier of Monaco. According to U.S. officials he owned at least 18 luxury cars — including a 1959 pink Cadillac and three cars with vanity license plates that read HACKER, MAFIA, and STONED. He has taken part in the Gumball 3000 international road rally on several occasions: in 2001 in his Mercedes Brabus SV12 Megacar, as well as in 2004. In an interview on Belgian Television, he claimed that in Morocco a car was blocking him and "he had to bump him off the road. Nothing happened to him". He claims he subsequently found out it was the Chief of Police in a "civil" car.

Schmitz legally changed his name to Dotcom in 2005 while living in Hong Kong where he set up Megaupload. He was granted permanent residence in New Zealand on 29 November 2010. At the time his residency application was being considered, Dotcom had made charitable contributions in New Zealand and was planning a huge fireworks show for the city of Auckland at a cost of NZ$600,000. He leased a NZ$30M mansion at Coatesville, near Auckland, owned by Richard and Ruth Bradley, the British founders of Chrisco, and considered the most expensive house in the country. He wanted to buy the mansion when the lease expired.

Dotcom is married. He and his wife, Mona, have five children. He became the father of twin girls (his fourth and fifth children) when his wife gave birth in Auckland a month after he was released on bail from Mt Eden prison. Dotcom instructed hospital personnel to send the placenta to the FBI for forensic analysis "so they can verify there is no pirate DNA".

Before his arrest in New Zealand, he was the world's number one-ranked Modern Warfare 3 player out of more than other 15 million online players. On 23 January 2012 he lost the position and dropped to number two.