Kim Dotcom case – NZ an easy touch, say US media

From the Washington Post to the Huffington Post, US media exploded overnight with a report that Kim Dotcom found New Zealand an easy touch for residency – and more so after he set NZ immigration officials a deadline to approve his application, or watch him move to Canada or Australia instead.

According to papers obtained under the Official Information Act by AP, on Oct. 26, 2010, an immigration manager, Gareth Grigg, sent a memo to a colleague saying that he’d been advised by Kim Dotcom’s immigration agent that:

“Mr Dotcom wants a decision on his application by 1 November 2010 or he will walk away” and consider his residency options in Australia or Canada.”

The Megaupload founder – who had been upfront about his previous convictions for hacking and share market fraud – was granted NZ residency six days before that deadline.

His terms of residency included buying $10 million in government bonds.

“In the eyes of New Zealand immigration authorities in 2010, Kim Dotcom’s money trumped his criminal past,” said the article run in the Washington Post.

Kim Dotcom's near-neighbour in Coatesville, France Komoroske, led a community effort against the German millionaire's bid to buy land (ultimately turned down by the OIO); a precursor to his residency application.

"Laughing stock"
Last night, as details of Mr Dotcom's immigration negotiations hit US media, Ms Komoroske told NBR:

"The threat worked. NZ immigration caved, and the rest is history," the US ex-pat retired lawyer said.

"If the government was worried about letting Kim him in because he might embarrass the country, those concerns were well-founded."

She added, "We're now a laughing stock to the rest of the world, letting in criminals as long as they have enough money - or at least say they have it."

Speaking to NBR earlier, Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson said the government was fully aware of Mr Dotcom's criminal convictions in Germany at the time his residency was approved. Mr Dotcom was young at the time of the convictions, and everybody made mistakes, Mr Williamson said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister John Key - without touching on Mr Dotcom's case - said "super-rich" investors who come to New Zealand generally add value to the country.