Kim Dotcom in custody - H 2012
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New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key has said that allegations that a political ally and minister failed to disclose political donations from Megaupload.com founder Kim Dotcom must be investigated by the police, Bloomberg reported.
John Banks, who leads a party that supports Key’s government in parliament, received NZ$50,000 ($41,000) from Dotcom to help fund his unsuccessful 2010 bid to become mayor of Auckland, according to media reports that had cited an interview with Dotcom.
Banks incorrectly reported the donations as anonymous, Bloomberg said, citing the country’s TV3 network.
“If somebody thinks that John Banks isn’t telling the truth, they have a very simple remedy – they go to the police,” Key told Television New Zealand, Bloomberg reported. “That’s not my job to do a forensic investigation.”
Banks has denied any wrongdoing, telling Television New Zealand: “I have nothing to fear and nothing to hide.”
Auckland police said they would look into a complaint about the donation.
Dotcom was arrested in January and later released on bail. Accused of the biggest copyright infringement conspiracy in U.S. history, he is awaiting an August extradition hearing in New Zealand.
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