Internet businessman Kim Dotcom has been given the chance to reclaim about $60 million of assets which were frozen by a Hong Kong court.
Kim Dotcom speaks briefly to media outside Auckland District Court last week. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
At the time of the internet entrepreneur's arrest in New Zealand three years ago, the Hong Kong court froze $HK330 million of assets that were linked to the now defunct Megaupload website.
The United States is attempting to extradite Mr Dotcom to face copyright and money-laundering charges related to the Megaupload business.
Last month he told the Unbound Digital conference he had spent $10 million on his legal battle and was broke.
His legal team in Hong Kong filed an application in April this year seeking to lift the restraining order on his Hong Kong assets, as the US had never tried to lay charges against Mr Dotcom in Hong Kong.
The court has scheduled a full hearing, when Mr Dotcom will be able to argue that he should get his assets back.
He has said that he has run out of New Zealand funds due to mounting legal and other costs.