Dotcom to try and get assets back

Published: 2:51PM Sunday February 05, 2012 Source: AAP

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Kim Dotcom is to try and regain control of his assets in court next week.

The 38-year-old Megaupload founder, who was again denied bail on Friday, will fight to get back millions of dollars seized in worldwide raids late last month.

Papers have been filed in the Auckland High Court which say the freezing orders used to seize Dotcom's fortune have gone too far and the money should be returned, the Herald on Sunday reports.

His lawyer, Paul Davison, has said Dotcom was disappointed with the outcome of Friday's High Court bail hearing, which challenged a North Shore District Court decision to keep him in custody.

Justice Raynor Asher agreed that Dotcom posed a flight risk.

A further application for bail can be made if there are new circumstances or the decision can be appealed.

Dotcom and three other men were arrested on January 20 after Dotcom's $30 million rented mansion in Coatesville was raided.

Dotcom's security chief alleges the arrest was a "home invasion by New Zealand police at the urging of the US Government" and that help was slow to arrive when Dotcom's wife Mona became ill but police are satisfied with their tactics.

More than $10 million from financial institutions, and assets, including luxury cars worth $6 million and expensive art works, were seized.

The men face charges in the US of racketeering, copyright infringement and money laundering. Extradition papers are expected to be filed on February 22.

Bail has been granted to two of Dotcom's co-accused, Finn Batato, 38, of Germany, and Dutch national Bram van der Kolk, 29, who holds New Zealand residency

The other accused man is Mathias Ortmann, 40, of Germany.

It is alleged the group amassed $216 million in criminal proceeds through the website.

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