OPEN LETTER FROM KIM DOTCOM TO FAMILY OF SETH RICH
Family of Seth Rich
c/- Aaron Rich
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Dear Aaron
SETH RICH – DNC LEAKS
Introduction
1. As you know, you and I have previously corresponded after I reached out to you to offer
my assistance with the GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the family of Mr Rich (family).
I understand from our communications that you are representing the family in relation to
the ongoing investigation into Mr Rich's death and I am writing to you in that capacity.
2. In particular, I am writing regarding recent statements about me that have been reported
globally (including in New Zealand) and attributed to the family. As set out in more detail
below, some of these statements are false and defamatory.
3. The purpose of this letter is to formally request that the family and their representatives
cease from making such statements about me going forward. This request is made in the
spirit of us constructively moving forward and allowing the investigation into the DNC leak
to progress without delay so that there can be an informed decision on whether it had any
involvement in Mr Rich's death, as many fear.
4. However, if these statements do not cease, it will be necessary for me to take further
action. It is ironic that the family complain of others potentially making statements that
they fear (without actually knowing) will be incorrect and then make incorrect statements
about me themselves.
5. I remain prepared to assist in the investigation, as I have said. While I want to show
understanding to the family in this difficult time, I also maintain that what I have said is true
and will be substantiated upon investigation. While that may be difficult for the family to
accept, in time I expect it to play a valuable part in revealing the truth. However, that is a
matter for the current investigation. I simply wish to make sure that the investigators have
the benefit of my evidence.
6. I have said that I will share what I know, and why, with the relevant authorities if the
appropriate arrangements can be made. That is what I understand from our
communications the family also want. The family, once fully informed, can then make up
their own mind, as will the investigation. However, that will not happen by ignoring the
evidence of witnesses like me who are prepared to speak up, or by seeking to discredit such witnesses by pre-emptively attacking their credibility. I
simply ask that the family
listen, before attacking.
The statements
7. The statements in question include:
(a) variations on the statements below reported in the Washington Post article 'The life
and death of the Seth Rich conspiracy theory'; and
(b) allegations in the letter I understand the family sent to Fox News to the effect that I
have previously used false evidence.
8. Both are without any factual basis, for the reasons set out below.
Washington Post article
9. The Washington Post article states (in part):
When Seth Rich's Gmail account received an alert this week from Mega.com,
attempting to start a new account on a website created by the New Zealand-based
Internet businessman and convicted hacker Kim Dotcom, his family knew that
something was off.Over seven frenzied days, Dotcom had become a leading purveyor of the theory
that Rich, a staffer at the Democratic National Committee who was shot dead
near his home in Northeast Washington last summer, had supplied DNC
documents to WikiLeaks and was killed as a result. Multiple security analysts and
an FBI investigation have tied the release to hackers with ties to Russia. D.C.
police have said repeatedly that they think Rich was slain in a random robbery
attempt.
According to experts and Rich's family, the emailed invitation from
[email protected] appeared to be an attempt to gain access to Rich's email.
Joel Rich, who maintains his late son's Gmail account, did not click the link.
Meanwhile, Dotcom was promising on Twitter to prove that the younger Rich had
been in contact with WikiLeaks — and Fox News host Sean Hannity was telling
his 2.37 million Twitter followers to be ready for a revelation.
...
The latest revelation — that a hacker from New Zealand may have been trying as
recently as this week to hack into Rich's email — offered fresh evidence that the
conspiracy theory is false. Dotcom, it seemed, may have been willing to create a
fake archive of emails from Rich to "prove" his role in the DNC hack.
10. The clear inference the reader is invited to draw from the above is that I attempted to
hack Mr Rich's email account. This is simply not true and is made without any genuine
foundation. As you know, the email correspondence between us can be checked and
contains no such threat.
11. It is alleged that Mr Rich's email account received a verification email from mega.nz.
That may be so. But that does not mean that any attempt was made to hack his email
account. Literally anyone could have gone to Mega.nz and registered an account there
using Mr Rich's gmail address, which was publicly known. That would then have
resulted in Mega sending a verification email to that address. If someone had registered
Mr Rich's email at Dropbox for example, Dropbox would likewise have sent a
confirmation link. That has nothing to do with hacking.
12. If there has been an attempt to hack Mr Rich's email account, I know nothing of it and
there is no connection to me. There is no credible basis in fact to link me to any attempted
hacking of Mr Rich's email. If the family genuinely believe they can establish a link, which
I do not accept, then by all means disclose that and I will respond to it and rebut it openly.
I would welcome this. Once the allegation is shown to be without foundation, the focus
could once again return to the DNC leaks and Mr Rich's death.
13. The suggestion that I am attempting to plant evidence into Mr Rich's email account
would appear to be an attempt to discredit any evidence I may give before I have a
chance to give it. That those who seek to speak the truth are, as I have been, subjected
to a smear campaign to try to discredit them indicates to me that the truth is known and
not welcome.
(cont.)