A
two million dollar payout expected by Kim Dotcom on the sale of a sumptuous
Coatesville property he previously rented has been frozen by the High Court and
his monthly drawdown from frozen assets for living expenses reduced to $70,000.
US film studios have taken action around
the world to freeze assets controlled by Mr Dotcom as they seek to extradite
him from New Zealand for alleged breach of copyright. Extradition is fiercely contested. Assets totalling $US34.9 million are
currently frozen in New Zealand and Hong Kong, the bulk being some $US32
million in Hong Kong bank accounts.
When the film studios discovered Mr
Dotcom had swung a payout deal with the landlord of his former Coatesville
residence, they asked the High Court to freeze this cash as well. The deal with his Coatesville landlord is for
Mr Dotcom to receive two million dollars on sale of the property with an
interim payment of $250,000 in December 2016 if it is not sold by that date. Justice Courtney extended the freezing order
to cover these payments.
She also adjusted the level of monthly
drawings to be taken from frozen funds to meet ordinary living expenses. Mr Dotcom is currently separated from his
wife. He pays the costs of his
childrens’ private school fees, their two nannies and security. Since leaving the rented Coatesville mansion,
Mr Dotcom has rented an Auckland apartment.
He has three personal staff on his payroll and also pays their
accommodation: a personal assistant, a chef and a housekeeper. Security for himself and his family costs
$10,000 a month. Drawings were reduced
from $80,000 per month to $70,000. The
film studios wanted to see monthly drawings slashed to $10,000.
Twentieth
Century Fox v. Dotcom – High Court (19.08.16)
16.131