27 Aug 2014

Dotcom appeals asset disclosure ruling

5:15 pm on 27 August 2014

Kim Dotcom is in the Court of Appeal trying to avoid revealing details of his total wealth to a group of American movie and recording studios.

Kim Dotcom.

Kim Dotcom. Photo: RNZ / Craig McCulloch

In a judgement last month, Justice Courtney ordered the internet businessman to make full disclosure of all his assets, including those not covered by current restraining orders.

In seeking full disclosure of his assets, lawyers for the film and recording studios pointed to Mr Dotcom's public comments about donating millions of dollars to set up the Internet Party, and other expenditure.

His lawyer told the Court of Appeal today that Mr Dotcom had the same right to financial privacy as anyone else, and wasn't obliged to disclose his financial affairs without justification.

However, the lawyer for the film studios and record labels said his privacy could be maintained, if the information was presented to the court in a sealed document, which no one else had access to.

The court has reserved its decision.