Megaupload founder: NZ lawmaker tried to hide his donation

Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand police are investigating an embattled Internet mogul’s claim that he gave a lawmaker money that the politician tried to disguise.

Kim Dotcom told The New Zealand Herald newspaper he gave conservative lawmaker John Banks 50,000 New Zealand dollars ($41,000) when Banks unsuccessfully ran for Auckland mayor in 2010. Dotcom says Banks told him to funnel the campaign contribution through two intermediaries so he could declare the donations anonymous.

Dotcom is the founder of file-sharing site Megaupload. He is under house arrest in New Zealand while US authorities try to extradite him on racketeering charges.

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Banks is now the leader and sole lawmaker of the conservative Act Party, which is in a coalition partnership with the governing National Party. He said in a statement Monday that he was not aware that Dotcom was behind the donations and, counter to Dotcom’s claim, he never called the mogul to thank him for the money.

Banks said he did call Dotcom on other occasions, including to thank him for sponsoring a lavish fireworks display in Auckland. Banks said he welcomed the police investigation.

AP