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New Zealand court rules to return assets to Dotcom
By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 17 April 2014
Personal assets seized by the New Zealand authorities when Kim Dotcom’s home was raided amidst the US-led shutdown of MegaUpload in 2012 could be returned to him within the next two weeks. This follows a ruling by the Auckland High Court not to extend an order to allow police to retain the items. If no appeal is lodged, Dotcom will be reunited with property, several cars and around $10 million early next month.
Dotcom tweeted yesterday: “Breaking News: High Court ruling just now. Mona and I are getting our New Zealand assets back, unless the Crown appeals. The NZ asset ruling is HUGE. We’ve just filed a case in Hong Kong against unlawful seizure of MegaUpload. The US case is falling apart! Our assets were seized for 800 days and still I was able to fight back even with my hands tied behind my back. Imagine what I can do now!”
The MegaUpload founder is, of course, still fighting extradition to the US to face criminal charges relating to his alleged involvement in encouraging and profiting from illegal file-sharing via his old business.
And while it is the case that this return of his assets will allow him to fight the various legal cases against him more strongly (and without relying so much on the generosity of his legal team), he is still up against the US government, Hollywood and the American music industry, at least two of which have quite a lot of spare cash too.
