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"If you're not aware of Kim Dotcom, the man who changed his last name to pay homage to the World Wide Web, we offer you this brief history lesson. Born in Germany, Kim Schmitz (a.ka. King Kimble, a.k.a. King of the Kimpire, a.k.a. The Kim-pin), is a larger-than-life Internet hustler who hauled in money hand-over-fist by creating Megaupload, a site that essentially allows \u2014 er, allowed \u2014 people to share copyrighted content. \nBut that's not all. His flair for the grandiose knew no terrestrial bounds. He loved to race fast cars and he coveted beautiful women \u2014 sometimes having them sprawl out on top of his massive, 6' 7\" frame. His exact size remains somewhat of a mystery \u2014 it seems like each reporter uses a different measuring tape. His list of eccentricities goes on.\nCheck out our gallery and regale us with your favorite Kim Dotcom stories or anecdotes in the comments.\nAdditional reporting for this piece was contributed by Sam Laird.\n\n\nKim Dotcom and All His Epic Glory\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n1. MegaRacer Domination Ends\n\nUntil recently, Kim Dotcom was the top Modern Warfare 3 player in the world. He even apparently posted a video to prove it. We imagine it's tough to maintain such a coveted position while being held in jail for multiple copyright violations.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2. Fireworks for All of Aukland\n\nThe Megaupload kingpin claims to have paid $500,000 for the City of Auckland to put on a 2011 New Year's firework display. In case any Kiwi were to forget who was funding the awesomeness, he produced a video replete with on-screen identification of his whereabouts during the show. \"Yeah, that's me in my personal helicopter!\"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n3. Mega Man\nDotcom stands 6 feet 7 inches tall, and tips the scales at 300 pounds, according to CNET. No one really knows his exact measurements though. All reports we've seen have him measured differently so whatever his exact height and weight are, it's easy to see that his physical size matches his personality and ego.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n4. Surname Switch\nHe legally changed his surname from Schmitz to Dotcom in homage to the beloved World Wide Web that made him famous.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n5. Financial Bravado and a 9/11 Bounty\n\nHe once fancied himself an anti-terrorism fighter by offering a bounty of $10 million for Osama bin Laden after 9/11. He started a group called Young Intelligent Hackers Against Terrorism. He was so kind as to offer the authorities on the hunt a little of his own advice:\n\"Try Looking in Kandahar in Afghanistan. He visits his wife and daughter there at least once a month.\"\nImage courtesy of  iStock, Vesnaandjic\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n6. Speed Racer\n\n\nAccording to Vanity Fair, Dotcom is a \"skilled and very fast driver\" who raced in and won the Gumball 3000 in 2005. He bet that he would beat two of the female drivers. If they finished before him, he'd give them each $500,000. If he won, they had to join him in a threesome. No report on what came of that.\nAccording to the Wall Street Journal, we do know that when he was arrested, police confiscated 21 luxury cars.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n7. Not So Saferoom\n\n\nEven when the game seemed to be up, Mr. Dotcom orchestrated a flamboyant exit. Police had to cut their way through electronic locks to a saferoom, where they found him clutching a gun.\nUpdate: many sources reported that Mr. Dotcom was holding a weapon or had one in reach at the time of his arrest. As new details emerge about what actually happened we will continue to update our reporting.\nImage courtesy of  iStock, zentilia \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n8. Living Large\n\nDotcom generated a spectacle wherever he went, often surrounded by cars and women, and wearing his trademark black outfit. He was even known to jump into hot tubs fully clothed. He made movies about himself racing cars, flirting with women,  and riding in helicopters and private jets.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9. Dubious Wealth Creation\n\nAccording to The New York Times, in 2001 he reportedly made more than $1 million when he allegedly bought shares in a struggling website, then falsely announced he would make a major investment, only to then sell his shares once the price went up after his announcement. He then defended himself by appearing on a popular late-night show, claiming people hated him because they didn't like his lifestyle. He then fled to Thailand before ultimately being apprehended.\n\u00A0\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n10. Big Time Friends\nHe commissioned  this well-produced music video starring many celebrities supporting the site, ostensibly in part to rub Megaupload in the face of copyright holders. Much controversy ensued.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/02/03/megaupload-kim-dotcom/>