It looks like the MegaUpload case could continue on into the foreseeable future after a New Zealand court ruled in Kim Dotcom‘s favor and released $4.83 million of his previously frozen funds. The majority of this rather large expense relates to legal fees in addition to rent and general upkeep on Dotcom’s mansion. Given that $800,000 will be set aside for future legal expenses, Dotcom certainly seems to be in this for the long haul.
There were some caveats to the ruling, however. For example, these funds can’t be used to pay any legal fees occurred by the other three currently held in the MegaUpload case. Dotcom also won’t be able to pay Ira Rothken, his lawyer from the United States. Rothken is owed somewhere around $242,000 for all the fees associated with helping Dotcom in New Zealand.
All this legal maneuvering at least pays Dotcom’s various expenses up until sometime next year. Dotcom’s wife, Mona, will also have use of the funds to pay for any legal expenses that he might occur, but even this will be supervised by a senior lawyer.
This money isn’t just coming out of nowhere, though. Dotcom will be allowed to borrow against the $8 million government bond he purchased as a condition of gaining permanent residence in New Zealand. Though it might have been an expensive method of gaining residence, it appears to have become a boon now.
(via Wired, image credit via 401(K) 2012)
- A court previously ruled Dotcom must have access to the evidence against him
- Footage of the raid on his mansion is still hard to come by
- The search warrants again Dotcom were even ruled illegal
