Editing Kim Dotcom (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Kim Schmitz cropped and edited.jpg|thumb|Kim Schmitz in 1996]]

Dotcom was born as Kim Schmitz in 1974 in [[Kiel]] in the northern part of [[West Germany]].<ref>"Der Unfassbare", ''Berliner Morgenpost'', 12 February 2001 {{in lang|de}}</ref> His mother was [[Baltic Finns|Finn]]ish,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11181461 |title=Dotcom's mother raided by police |date=4 January 2014 |website=NZ Herald News |access-date=1 May 2016 |quote="Dotcom's mother is Anneli Miettinen, who is Finnish " |archive-date=17 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617000308/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11181461 |url-status=live }}</ref> from [[Turku]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/lifestyle/8660-the-biggest-baby-on-the-planet.html|title=Kim Dotcom – The biggest baby on the planet|website=helsinkitimes.fi|date=12 December 2013 |access-date=15 January 2023|archive-date=15 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815103743/https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/lifestyle/8660-the-biggest-baby-on-the-planet.html|url-status=live}}</ref> so he holds a Finnish passport and has siblings in Finland.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Arrested+Megaupload+millionaire+Kim+Dotcom+has+Finnish+passport/1135270248107 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126140239/http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Arrested%2BMegaupload%2Bmillionaire%2BKim%2BDotcom%2Bhas%2BFinnish%2Bpassport/1135270248107 |archive-date=26 January 2012 |title=Arrested Megaupload millionaire Kim Dotcom has Finnish passport |publisher=Helsingin Sanomat |url-status=dead}}</ref> His father was German. He legally changed his surname to Dotcom in 2005.<ref name=Wired1>{{cite magazine|last=Gallagher|first=Sean|title=The Fast, Fabulous, Allegedly Fraudulent Life of Megaupload's Kim Dotcom|url=https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/kim-dotcom/|magazine=Wired|access-date=26 January 2012|date=26 January 2012|archive-date=27 January 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127000449/http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/01/kim-dotcom/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=WSJ_lavish>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203750404577173243494465660 Inside the lavish life of Web's Mr. Dotcom] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212093039/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203750404577173243494465660 |date=12 December 2022 }}, ''The Wall Street Journal''. 21 January 2012.</ref>

Prior to his arrest in New Zealand, he enjoyed a luxurious life. In 2001, his main source of income was a company called Kimvestor,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |title=The Fast, Fabulous, Allegedly Fraudulent Life of Megaupload's Kim Dotcom |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/01/kim-dotcom/ |magazine=Wired }}</ref> and he was known for spending his money on expensive cars and boats. During the [[2000 Monaco Grand Prix|2000 Monaco Formula One Grand Prix]], Dotcom chartered a {{convert|240|ft|adj=on}} yacht and used it to host parties for guests such as [[Rainier III, Prince of Monaco|Prince Rainier of Monaco]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cassy|first1=John|last2=Snoddy|first2=Julia|title=The world of Kim Schmitz|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2001/jan/26/internetnews.business2|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=26 January 2001|access-date=28 March 2021|archive-date=9 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409021954/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2001/jan/26/internetnews.business2|url-status=live}}</ref>

He was granted permanent residence in New Zealand on 29 November 2010.<ref>Neazor, D.P. [http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/201239/Neazor%20repor1.pdf Report of Inspector General of Intelligence and Security] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521132442/http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/document/pdf/201239/Neazor%20repor1.pdf |date=21 May 2022 }}, p 4, 27 September 2012</ref> While his residency was under consideration, Dotcom was planning a fireworks show in [[Auckland]] at a cost of NZ$600,000.<ref name="smh.com.au">{{cite news |title=Kim Dotcom's money won him New Zealand residency |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/kim-dotcoms-money-won-him-new-zealand-residency-20120314-1uz6q.html |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald |date=14 March 2012 |access-date=6 October 2012 |archive-date=15 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115232047/http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/kim-dotcoms-money-won-him-new-zealand-residency-20120314-1uz6q.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He leased a mansion in [[Coatesville, New Zealand|Coatesville]], a rural community near Auckland, owned by entrepreneurs Richard and Ruth Bradley, and considered one of the most expensive homes in the country. He wanted to buy the mansion when the lease expired.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10626044 |title=Multi-millionaire hacker buys Chrisco mansion |last=Lewis |first=Rebecca |date=14 February 2010 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=21 January 2012 |archive-date=22 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122101028/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10626044 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Before his arrest in New Zealand, he was the world's number-one-ranked ''[[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3]]'' player for having the highest cumulative score in free for all mode out of more than 15 million online players.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/01/23/kim-dotcom-falls-modernwarfare-3/ |title=Arrest fallout: Kim Dotcom drops to No. 2 rank in Modern Warfare 3 |publisher=VentureBeat |date=23 January 2012 |access-date=2 May 2012 |archive-date=20 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120420193125/http://venturebeat.com/2012/01/23/kim-dotcom-falls-modernwarfare-3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>