New Zealand official signs extradition order to send Kim Dotcom to US

Enlarge / Kim Dotcom speaks to the media after a bail hearing at Auckland District Court on December 1, 2014, in Auckland, New Zealand. (credit: Getty Images | Fiona Goodall)

Kim Dotcom has lost yet another ruling in his attempt to avoid extradition from New Zealand to the United States, over a dozen years after the file-sharing site Megaupload was shut down. But he hasn’t run out of appeal options yet.

On Thursday, a government spokesperson confirmed that New Zealand Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith signed an extradition order for Dotcom, according to Reuters.

“I have received extensive advice from the Ministry of Justice on this matter,” Goldsmith said in a statement quoted by numerous news organizations. “I considered all of the information carefully and have decided that Mr. Dotcom should be surrendered to the US to face trial. As is common practice, I have allowed Mr. Dotcom a short period of time to consider and take advice on my decision. I will not, therefore, be commenting further at this stage.”