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Kim Dotcom in court to fight extradition to US as date set for Hong Kong assets battle
Hearing begins in New Zealand, while internet mogul's battle for assets continues in Hong Kong
PUBLISHED : Monday, 21 September, 2015, 10:32pm
UPDATED : Monday, 21 September, 2015, 10:32pm
Agence France-Presse and Julie Chu
The former Hong Kong resident arrives at the court in Auckland.
Internet mogul Kim Dotcom's long-awaited extradition hearing opened in New Zealand yesterday, while the flamboyant founder of now-defunct Megaupload also sought to get access to his HK$330 million assets in Hong Kong.
The German former Hong Kong resident, who is trying to avoid being sent to the United States to face online piracy charges, insists he is a legitimate internet entrepreneur. US authorities allege his Megaupload empire promoted online theft on a grand scale.
They claim Megaupload netted more than US$175 million in criminal proceeds and cost copyright owners US$500 million-plus by offering pirated films, music and software.
Almost four years after armed police raided his Auckland mansion, Dotcom entered court wearing his trademark black attire for a hearing expected to last up to three weeks.
"This case is not just about me. This case is about how much control we allow US corporations and the US government to have over the internet," he tweeted before the hearing began.
Dotcom watched proceedings from his own leather armchair after being granted permission to bring it in to try to ease a back complaint. Photo: Reuters
Dotcom watched proceedings from his own leather armchair at the back of the court after being granted special permission to bring it in to try to ease a back complaint.
The charges against Dotcom include fraud, racketeering and money laundering. They were laid after an investigation into what the FBI describes as the largest copyright case in US history. The 41-year-old and his three co-accused - ex-Megaupload executives Finn Batato, Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk - face jail terms of up to 20 years if convicted in the US.
Lawyers for the accused asked for a stay of proceedings, saying US authorities were refusing to give them access to frozen funds they need to hire expert witnesses. "Court orders made by New Zealand courts and Hong Kong courts have been frustrated by a deliberate tactical decision by the US to stop us accessing expertise that we need," said barrister Grant Illingworth.
Dotcom with his now ex-wife Mona in Hong Kong.
Dotcom claims Washington is pursuing him at the request of the US entertainment industry.
Dotcom also had a hearing in the High Court in Hong Kong yesterday in his ongoing battle to access his assets in the city, which were frozen by a High Court judge in 2012 at the request of the US government.
While Deputy High Court Judge Garry Tallentire briefly lifted the order in December last year, he reimposed a new one immediately that allowed both parties to negotiate terms which could include limited access to money for ongoing legal fees and living expenses.
The judge yesterday fixed a hearing for November 30 to decide the terms and conditions of the restraint order.
