Website founder bought his way into NZ

爱国爱港

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/12685759/website-founder-bought-his-way-into-nz/

NZ Newswire
January 22, 2012, 4:03 pm

Kim Dotcom, the internet baron accused of piracy, came to New Zealand under an immigration scheme criticised for allowing people to buy their way into the country.

The founder of www.megaupload.com, also known as Kim Schmitz, appeared in the North Shore District Court alongside three others on Friday after a global sting organised by the FBI.

The German national with New Zealand residency is among seven people accused of online piracy generating $US175 million ($NZ218 million) in criminal proceeds and harming copyright owners to the tune of $US500 million.

New Zealand police swooped on a mansion north of Auckland where Dotcom is said to have lived a flamboyant lifestyle. He is reported to have had previous convictions for hacking and insider trading.

Warwick Tuck, head of immigration, told NZ Newswire that Dotcom was granted residence in 2010 under the investor plus category.

"Mr Dotcom made full disclosure of his previous convictions and they were taken into account in the granting of his residence," Mr Tuck said.

Issues with his character were outweighed by his potential benefit to the country.
The investor plus category allows people to gain residency if they invest $NZ10 million in New Zealand.

There have been 10 Investor plus applications completed, Mr Tuck said.

Labour's immigration spokesperson Darien Fenton says the category allows wealthy people of dubious character to buy their way into New Zealand, Radio New Zealand reported.