Kim.com: The Hacker Who Trolled Hollywood and Changed the Internet

The war for the internet, it seems, has been raging for quite a while now. And right in the thick of it, there’s a figure who has, shall we say, definitely changed the internet forever: Kim.com. He’s been called a notorious hacker, one of Germany’s earliest tech entrepreneurs, a traitor, a scammer, an activist, a visionary, a criminal, and even a scapegoat. Hollywood, it seems, saw him as their number one enemy, a popular hub for illegally downloaded movies. But to others, he was a folk hero fighting for internet freedom, a pro gamer, an eccentric multi millionaire, a musician, and even an aspiring politician. Kim.com may be many things, and depending on which version of the story you believe, the truth, as always, is probably a bit messy. Let’s delve into his wild ride.

Early Life and the Hacker Persona: From Kim Schmitz to Kimble

Kim.com’s story, or rather, Kim Schmitz’s story, begins in the early 90s in Kiel, a city in the north of Germany. This was long before he launched the infamous file sharing platform, MegaUpload, and certainly before he became one of the most wanted men on the internet. Back then, he was just Kim Schmitz. He would later claim he attended an elite boarding school in a castle and that he graduated with a special diploma for gifted students at just 17. None of that, it turns out, was true. He actually went to a public high school for lower secondary education and lived in a home for troubled youth. This detail, I think, is significant, as it highlights a recurring pattern throughout his story: Kim has always tried to portray himself as more than he actually was, as bigger, better, and smarter than his peers.

Kim’s parents separated when he was young. His father was, apparently, a violent drunk, so the boy often retreated to the safety of his bedroom. There, he discovered the magic of computers and became, well, obsessed. He started writing his own programs and got involved in the early days of the internet, long before most people even knew what it was. By the early 90s, Kim was running what was essentially a server for trading pirated software. And apparently, he wasn’t just hosting it; he was eavesdropping on the users, listening in on the emerging hacker scene. This trading platform also earned him his first money. Around the same time, he debuted his now famous alias, “Kimble,” an homage to the main character in “The Fugitive,” who is wrongfully accused of murder and forced to flee from the authorities.

This is Kim in 1992, in a grainy segment of German national TV, showing off how to make free phone calls worldwide by routing through the US. He claimed he coded the software himself. The show dubbed him “the nightmare of national telecommunications.” A Forbes article, at one point, claimed he was the leader of an international hacker group called “Dope” and one of the most well known hackers in Germany. Allegedly, he developed an encrypted, tap proof mobile phone and sold hundreds of them. Back then, a curious teen like Kim.com could teach himself to code and stumble into the center of a global tech saga. It was a different time, for sure.

• Early Life: Kim Schmitz, from Kiel, Germany; lived in a home for troubled youth, not an elite boarding school.
• Computer Obsession: Retreating from a difficult home life, he discovered computers and coding.
• Early Piracy: Ran a server for trading pirated software in the early 90s, eavesdropping on users.
• “Kimble” Alias: Adopted the alias “Kimble,” inspired by “The Fugitive.”
• Early Fame: Appeared on German TV demonstrating free phone calls, dubbed “nightmare of national telecommunications.”
• Exaggerated Claims: Forbes article claimed he led a hacker group (“Dope”) and sold encrypted phones, but his actual hacking skills were doubted by some.

From Hacker to Businessman: Data Protect and Dot Com Mania

In the mid 90s, Kim was arrested for his shady dealings involving that software trading server. He was convicted in 1998 and received a two year suspended sentence. But Kim, being Kim, remained undeterred. He actually used his conviction to boost his hacker image, portraying himself as “Kimble, the larger than life tech renegade.” At the time, most journalists had no clue how computers actually worked. In this climate, it was easy for Kim to turn myth into media headlines.

He claimed to have hacked into Citibank and wired $20 million to Greenpeace. That, I can tell you, was almost certainly made up. While Citibank had, in fact, been hacked a few years earlier, the hackers were Russian, not German, and they definitely didn’t donate the money to Greenpeace. Kim also claimed to have breached both the Pentagon and NASA. Again, the hacks were real, but definitely not carried out by him. People in the scene, the actual hackers, started having serious doubts about whether Kimble even had the skills to pull off any serious hacking. But scattered skepticism didn’t dent Kimble’s carefully crafted image.

He doubled down on his reputation and launched a cybersecurity firm called “Data Protect.” The logic was simple, if a bit audacious: who could better protect you from hackers than the most dangerous hacker himself? Data Protect took off, and he started to make serious money. In 2000, he sold 80% of the company. It was the peak of the dot com boom, and Kim had ideas. Some were actually ahead of their time, like an early version of two factor authentication years before it became a widespread thing. Then there were also ideas like the “Mega Car,” a concept car with an onboard computer, built in video conferencing, and 16 SIM cards for mobile internet on the highway. It never hit the market, obviously. In any case, Kim became a rising star in the business world, and he wasn’t shy about sharing his extravagant lifestyle online. Private jets, luxury cars, the whole nine yards.

During peak dot com mania, he claimed he would rescue the flailing e commerce startup “LetsBuyIt.com,” and he made a headline grabbing appearance on a German late night show to sell the story. In truth, Kimble never actually saved that firm. He bought up shares on the cheap, pumped the stock with media hype, and then cashed out. That’s textbook insider trading, and yes, it’s illegal. He tried to flee to Thailand but failed. He ended up with another 20 month suspended sentence and a €100,000 fine. Most of his ventures went belly up, and as the global dot com bubble burst and triggered a full blown economic crisis, Kim decided to immigrate to Hong Kong. He launched a new string of sketchy ventures and showed off even more fancy cars. It was a pattern, you see.

• First Conviction (1998): Two year suspended sentence for software trading dealings; used it to boost hacker image.
• False Hacking Claims: Claimed to hack Citibank, Pentagon, NASA (hacks were real, but not by him).
• Data Protect: Launched a successful cybersecurity firm, “Data Protect,” based on his hacker reputation.
• Early Innovations: Had ideas ahead of his time, like an early two factor authentication system.
• Extravagant Lifestyle: Showcased luxury cars and private jets online.
• Insider Trading: Bought shares in “LetsBuyIt.com,” hyped the stock, and cashed out, leading to another conviction (20 month suspended sentence, €100,000 fine).
• Move to Hong Kong: Immigrated after his ventures failed and the dot com bubble burst.

MegaUpload: The Internet Changer and Hollywood’s War on Piracy

Let’s skip ahead a bit. It’s 2005, and Kim.com is about to change the internet forever with MegaUpload. The idea was deceptively simple. It was essentially a cloud service, a site where people could upload files for others to download them. This was years before Dropbox and Google Drive became household names. No accounts, just links. It didn’t take long for people to realize that MegaUpload made it very easy to share entire movies and full length music albums. Kim wasn’t the first to offer this kind of service, but MegaUpload just worked extremely well. It offered a lot of storage for the time, and fast downloads.

The company quickly morphed into a sprawling network. Some of you may still remember the sister site, “MegaVideo,” and its infamous 72 minute time limit. At its peak, MegaUpload was the 13th most popular website on the internet. With 50 million users a day, it accounted for a whopping 4% of global online traffic. This was before Spotify and Netflix. Back then, people would spend a small fortune on DVDs and CDs—around $20 for “Spider Man 2,” $16 for the new Green Day album. And all of a sudden, it was all out there for free. Hollywood and the music industry quickly realized they were missing out on massive chunks of revenue. So, in the early 2000s, they declared war on piracy. First, they sued Napster into the ground. Then came the infamous “You wouldn’t steal a car” DVD scare ad era. But none of that was stopping MegaUpload.

For years, authorities struggled to get a grip on the platform, and no one really knew who was behind it. It used to be owned by Kim Schmitz, but MegaUpload denied any further connection to him. The site was now registered to a company called “Veester Limited,” which belonged to some Finnish guy called “Kim Tim Jim Vestor.” Of course, Finnish Kim and Kimble were the same person. He used his distant Finnish ancestry to get hold of a second passport. And for a while, that smoke screen actually allowed him to hide in an illegal gray zone.

• MegaUpload Launch (2005): A cloud service for file sharing, predating Dropbox/Google Drive.
• Rapid Growth: Became 13th most popular website, 50 million daily users, 4% of global internet traffic.
• Impact on Media: Facilitated widespread free sharing of movies and music, causing “billions in losses” for Hollywood and the music industry.
• Media Industry Response: Declared “war on piracy,” suing Napster and launching anti piracy campaigns.
• Evasion Tactics: Kim used a new identity (“Kim Tim Jim Vestor”) and Finnish passport to obscure his ownership.

The Rise of Kim.com and the Showdown

But in 2011, Kim just couldn’t resist stepping back into the spotlight. He publicly declared that he was the mastermind behind MegaUpload. That’s when Kim Schmitz and Kimble gave way to a whole new identity: Kim.com. By now, he was living large in New Zealand, in a mansion by the sea. He was collecting luxury cars and used his free time to become one of the top ranked Call of Duty players on the globe. He had a wife and kids, and it almost felt like his wildest years were behind him. Maybe he thought he was far enough from the US to be safe, out of reach. Because instead of keeping his head down, Kim lashed out, and he took on the global music and movie industries head first.

His “MegaUpload Song” from 2011 was extremely provocative. Some of the biggest pop stars of the day appeared in the music video, publicly backing a platform that Hollywood saw as the embodiment of internet piracy, supposedly responsible for billions in losses. Universal Music sued MegaUpload. The music video kept getting pulled from YouTube. And this was just the beginning. The media started calling Kim.com “the movie industry killer.” With his mansion, his fleet of cars, and his private shopper, he didn’t look like a tech renegade anymore. He became the “Dr. No of Hollywood.” Okay, maybe more like Dr. Evil. Either way, he became a scapegoat.

• New Identity (2011): Publicly revealed himself as the mastermind behind MegaUpload, adopting the name “Kim.com.”
• Extravagant Lifestyle: Living in a New Zealand mansion, collecting luxury cars, and a top Call of Duty player.
• Provocative Actions: Released the “MegaUpload Song” featuring pop stars, openly challenging the entertainment industry.
• Media Portrayal: Labeled “movie industry killer,” “Dr. No of Hollywood,” and a scapegoat for piracy.

Operation Takedown and the Legal Battle

On January 20, 2012, New Zealand police raided Kim.com’s Auckland mansion at dawn. At the request of the FBI, more than a dozen heavily armed special forces stormed the property. They called it “Operation Takedown.” They seized luxury cars, designer watches, and hard drives. Simultaneously, there were raids across eight other countries. In Germany, police confiscated a brand new Mercedes Kim had just gotten his mom for Christmas. The FBI took over MegaUpload. All sites of the company went dark.

The authorities claimed that Kim.com was the ringleader of an international criminal enterprise, that his platform had been built from the ground up to traffic stolen digital content, and that everything else, the branding and business model, was just a front to cover up its real purpose. According to US prosecutors, he and his accomplices had caused half a billion dollars in damages while making $175 million for themselves. Now Kim was facing extradition to the states and up to 55 years in prison. But was that really the whole story? Was Kim.com actually a criminal mastermind?

His defense was pretty straightforward. He said he basically invented Google Drive before Google did. That MegaUpload was just a platform and that he couldn’t be held accountable for what users chose to upload or download. But under US law, being a file sharing platform doesn’t just give you a free pass. You have to actively make sure copyrighted content isn’t being shared illegally. And the indictment documents say he did too little, too late. Kim, of course, insisted otherwise. He said MegaUpload had systems in place to take down copyrighted material upon request. He claimed his platform even provided big Hollywood studios with the tools to remove the content themselves.

But prosecutors argued that MegaUpload’s supposed good intentions were just a front. Behind the scenes, they ran a rewards program, paying users to upload popular shows and movies. The platform also supposedly dragged its feet on takedown notices, keeping content online longer to rack up more clicks. Jana Kudla and her team, who reviewed leaked MegaUpload documents and emails, suggested Kim and his crew were fully aware of what was going on on their platform. Kim insisted the whole thing was a massive political conspiracy. He’s never been able to provide any proof. But the full blown international raid and the threat of 50 plus years behind bars, that does look like authorities were trying to make a point, turning Kim.com into an example. And there was a political layer to this story. The US film and music industry did, in fact, have massive lobbying power. For example, the then head lobbyist for Hollywood’s biggest trade group, MPAA, was a close friend of then Vice President Joe Biden. And Biden had a reputation for being tough on online piracy.

• Operation Takedown (2012): FBI led raids on Kim.com’s mansion in New Zealand and other countries, seizing assets and shutting down MegaUpload.
• Charges: Accused of being a ringleader of a criminal enterprise, causing $500 million in damages and making $175 million in profits. Faced extradition to the US and up to 55 years in prison.
• Defense: Claimed MegaUpload was a legitimate cloud service, not responsible for user content, and had takedown systems.
• Prosecution’s Counter: Argued MegaUpload had a rewards program for pirated content and delayed takedown notices; suggested Kim was fully aware of illegal activities.
• Political Context: US film/music industry had significant lobbying power, with ties to high ranking politicians (e.g., Joe Biden’s tough stance on piracy).

Later Years and the Extradition Battle

Over 10 years passed since Operation Takedown. Kim.com relaunched “Mega,” a new venture. He dabbled in New Zealand politics, gave interviews, hopped on creator live streams, and starred in documentaries. His story was even turned into a best selling book, and he was getting his own biopic. A German public broadcaster was producing a six part series on Kim.com’s rise, fall, and digital rebellion, a gripping, high energy mini series about the life of the internet’s most audacious outlaw. For a decade, he fought his extradition with all that he had. Appeal after appeal, hearing after hearing. But in August 2024, New Zealand’s justice minister signed the order. Kim.com would be extradited to the US. He faces charges of copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering. Just months later, in November 2024, Kim suffered a serious stroke. He hasn’t said much since, just one post on X saying he’s in recovery, asking for patience and prayers.

• Post Raid Activities: Relaunched “Mega,” engaged in New Zealand politics, gave interviews, featured in documentaries and books.
• Long Legal Battle: Fought extradition to the US for over a decade through numerous appeals and hearings.
• Extradition Order (August 2024): New Zealand’s justice minister signed the order for his extradition to the US on charges of copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering.
• Health Issues: Suffered a serious stroke in November 2024.

Key Takeaways and Summary

Kim.com’s journey is a fascinating, complex narrative that intertwines the rise of the internet with the traditional media industry’s struggle to adapt. Starting as Kim Schmitz, a German hacker with a flair for exaggeration, he built a reputation that blended reality with myth. His early ventures, including a pirated software server and a cybersecurity firm, showcased his entrepreneurial drive, even if some were tinged with controversy and illegal activities like insider trading.

His most significant impact came with MegaUpload, a file sharing service that, years before mainstream cloud storage, became a massive hub for content, including pirated movies and music. This put him on a collision course with Hollywood and the music industry, who saw him as the face of online piracy. His provocative actions, like the “MegaUpload Song,” only intensified this conflict.

The dramatic “Operation Takedown” in 2012, an FBI led global raid, shut down MegaUpload and initiated a decade long legal battle for his extradition to the US on serious charges. While his defense maintained MegaUpload was a legitimate platform, prosecutors argued otherwise, pointing to reward programs for pirated content and delayed takedowns. The case also highlighted the powerful lobbying efforts of the US entertainment industry. Despite his recent health issues and the extradition order, Kim.com remains a polarizing figure—a self proclaimed internet freedom fighter to some, a ruthless criminal to others—whose story reflects the messy, evolving landscape of digital content and copyright. He, perhaps, held up a mirror to an industry that was slow to embrace the internet revolution.

Key Important Points:

• Complex Figure: Kim.com (Kim Schmitz) is a controversial figure, a mix of hacker, entrepreneur, showman, and alleged criminal.
• MegaUpload’s Impact: His file sharing platform became a global phenomenon, revolutionizing content distribution and challenging traditional media industries.
• Clash with Hollywood: MegaUpload’s role in piracy led to a major conflict with the US film and music industries, culminating in “Operation Takedown.”
• Legal Battle: Faced a decade long fight against extradition to the US on charges of copyright infringement, money laundering, and racketeering.
• Debate on Responsibility: The core legal argument revolved around whether a platform owner is responsible for users’ illegal content sharing.
• Political Influence: The case highlighted the significant lobbying power of the entertainment industry in shaping legal responses to online piracy.
• Enduring Legacy: Regardless of legal outcomes, Kim.com’s actions significantly influenced the development of digital content consumption and the ongoing debate over internet freedom and copyright.