Did the FBI forget to re-up ownership of seized domains?

Web domains once seized by the FBI were co-opted this week to disseminate malware after the bureau apparently failed to renew the domain registration for the sites.

The FBI long ago shut down the infamous file storage site Megaupload, which was often used to watch pirated movies and TV shows. It took control of the related domains, and for years Megaupload.com and Megavideo.com redirected to an FBI banner page.

{mosads}But the domains this week started redirecting Web browsers to a series of advertisements, many of which were for porn or drugs.

Occasionally, the ads linked to malware installers, TorrentFreak reported.

According to ArsTechnica, a British man who goes by “Earl Grey” snapped up the sites during a GoDaddy auction after the FBI didn’t re-up its ownership.

Kim Dotcom, the New Zealand man behind Megaupload who is fighting extradition to the U.S. for copyright infringement charges, was gleeful about the slip-up.

“You have to see this to believe it: Megaupload.com,” he tweeted. “Porn, drugs, malware & ad scams brought to you by the US Department of Justice.”

The FBI isn’t commenting on what exactly happened and whether they’re trying to get the domains back.

As of Thursday, GoDaddy had suspended the buyer’s registration.