'Lord of Rings' scam admitted

A Wellington man pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court yesterday to charges related to selling advance footage of the $260 million Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

The 35-year-old, whose name was suppressed, admitted one charge of receiving three videotapes and another of dealing in a reproduced document. Three others were withdrawn.

Police had been investigating the incident for more than a month after film footage was offered for sale on the internet.

The man, arrested in Auckland on June 24, will be sentenced next month.

A source close to the investigation says such copies would fetch big money. No footage was sent overseas before the man was arrested.

Directed by Kiwi Peter Jackson under strict secrecy, the film's first instalment will be released in December next year.

A two-minute internet trailer released in April sparked a 24-hour world record 1.67 million hits.