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BIGGER THAN BIG

What does a tycoon separated from his fortune do?
Make a new one.

Pressure was growing on Dotcom. From the original setbacks — the US blitzkrieg — the Megaupload accused had created enough room to begin arguing their case. The successful court action had been a fight back to the starting blocks, rolling back the excessive or unlawful assistance given to the FBI and exposing the New Zealand government's failures. The errors did not turn into cash and the degree of future potential legal action in all directions seemed only to be increasing.

It was becoming clear it would not be enough to win the court battles, although success there made all else possible.

There was a constant need for money. Dotcom's lifestyle was one persistent drain. The mansion cost $1 million a year to rent and a similar amount to staff and supply. The discoveries made through the legal action so far created a myriad of possible new cases, but the money to pay lawyers into the future simply did not exist.

Dotcom had returned to court, seeking the release of the $10 million bond which had secured his residency. He was able to access $6 million of the money, with the court approving a loan leveraged off the bonds, which did not mature until 2015. Of that, $3.6 million was released to pay for legal bills. It left cash remaining, particularly as the court approved the controlled sale of Dotcom's car collection.

Regardless, the amount remaining was limited. The great fortune, seized in Hong Kong, was held from Dotcom and the others in a legal Fort Knox.

The need for money struck particularly hard at Batato, Ortmann

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