With the odd revelation that hip-hop producer Swizz Beatz is apparently CEO of a huge file-sharing company targeted by the feds, it's only natural that Mr. Alicia Keyes is thinking about a plan. Page Six reports, "Sources tell us Beatz believes he may be questioned by the FBI and is considering hiring a criminal defense lawyer. If convicted, the arrested executives could face up to 50 years in prison for the largest copyright case in history."
Megaupload was seized by the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI last week, accusing the site's founder and employees of encouraging online piracy and making $175 million from users and advertising, "while causing $500 million in damages to copyright holders." The site's founder, Kim Dotcom (aka Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Vestor), was arrested at his New Zealand mansion, after police cut through a safe room and found Dotcom holding a sawed-off shotgun.
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported, "A spokeswoman for Swizz Beatz on Friday confirmed her client had been named CEO, but added: 'We're trying to clarify' whether the appointment actually went into effect." Megaupload lawyer Ira Rothken said on Friday, "[Beatz] was negotiating to become the CEO, but it was never official," but Page Six's sources say "Beatz has been CEO of the company for close to a year. 'Swizz is satisfied that he isn’t being investigated for any wrongdoing because had this been the case, they would have picked him up at the same time as the others,' a source said. 'Swizz had no idea this was coming. He is very much in the dark about this investigation... This appears to be a situation where Swizz agreed to be the CEO of Megaupload without first doing his due diligence about the company.'"
In other Megaupload news, the company has dropped its lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which took down the Megaupload song—featuring Chris Brown, Kim Kardashian, P. Diddy, will.i.am, Jamie Foxx, Mary J. Blige, and Alicia Keys— from YouTube. The Hollywood Reporter suggests that Megaupload may instead go after... Google. Good luck with that one and enjoy seeing Kim Dotcom rap around the 1:40 mark.
