Megaupload Programmers Sentenced to Prison

Two programmers from Megaupload, a file-sharing website, have been sentenced to prison by a New Zealand court after agreeing to testify against the site's founder, Kim Dotcom. 

Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk received lower sentences than originally expected due to their cooperation with the FBI and guilty pleas. 

The United States government alleges the group, including a deceased fourth executive, caused over US$500 million in losses to film studios and record companies. Dotcom, who is still fighting against extradition to the US in relation to Megaupload, tweeted that his co-defendants could be free on parole in under a year, while he continues his legal battle.

- CyberBeat