What do a $157,000 Mercedes-Benz, a Chanel diamond watch and a Christian Colin sculpture have in common?
According to the New Zealand Herald, they were all birthday presents for Mona Dotcom, the wife of Kim Dotcom, the founder of Megaupload who was arrested in January on charges that include copyright fraud, money laundering and racketeering.
And now, as the Herald reports, the 23-year-old is asking New Zealand courts for those gifts to be returned, along with other valuable assets including jewelry, watches and electronics, that were siezed when authorities raided the compound in January.
"I am simply asking the courts to return my own property and make reasonable provision for our family's ongoing maintenance and care," she said in the court filing, according to the Herald.
According to SkyNews, the some of that "maintenance and care" in the couple's rented mansion includes a staff of six for NZ$29,000 per month ($22,562), $NZ1,850 a week ($1,439) for lawn mowing, and $NZ3,500 ($2,723) each month for electricity, among other costs.
Reuters reported in January that, according to FBI estimates, Kim Dotcom made $42 million in 2010, or about $115,000 each day.
He spent one month in jail before being granted bail.
In March, the Associated Press reported that a judge granted him access to NZ$60,000 ($46,600) per month as well as his 2011 Mercedes. And last month, because of "exemplary" behavior, he was once again allowed to use the Internet.
The New Zealand Herald has a picture of Mona Dotcom as well as more details on her lavish lifestyle. And click over to Sky News to see the exorbitant amount of money the Dotcoms spend on groceries, gardeners and phone calls each month.
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