Internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom is appealing an American court ruling that seized vast amounts of his property and assets, including millions of dollars worth of cash, TVs, jet skis, luxury watches and sports cars.
Kim Dotcom in the Auckland District Court. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Mr Dotcom filed an appeal on Thursday (NZ time) arguing the assets currently being held under American civil forfeiture law, were seized "improperly".
The assets were initially seized in January 2012 when New Zealand police raided the millionaire's mansion at the request of the FBI.
Mr Dotcom's latest attempt to regain control of his assets claims the "fugitive disentitlement" currently being used by the American courts does not apply to him as it requires the defendant to have fled the country or otherwise attempted to evade prosecution.
The appeal followed a separate ruling by the New Zealand court that his assets should be returned.
