Concert promoter Andrew McManus has had his bail conditions varied to allow him to accompany the American band KISS when it tours New Zealand next month, even after police argued he was a flight risk,

Mr McManus, who is bringing KISS to Australia, was recently arrested at Melbourne airport returning from New Zealand.

He has been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by providing the police with a false account concerning the ownership of $702,000 in cash which police seized from the Sydney's upmarket Hilton Hotel in 2011.

"It's not the proceeds of crime, it's the proceeds of Andrew McManus," the promoter told NSW police, claiming the seized money was "my 700 large".

According to police documents tendered at Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday, Mr McManus's claims to police were made "with the intention of gaining a financial advantage by deception".

Along with his then lawyer Michael Croke, organised crime figure Craig Haeusler, and Owen Hanson, who was arrested recently in San Diego on drug trafficking charges, Mr McManus has also been charged with "knowingly participating in a criminal group".

Prominent Melbourne barrister Peter Morrissey, SC, told Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson that as a promoter it was essential that Mr McManus travel to New Zealand from October 15 to 18 to oversee the logistics of the KISS tour.

In opposing this, Prosecutor Carl Young said that Mr McManus was facing serious charges "and there is a likelihood of imprisonment".

He also said that it had been a lengthy investigation using telephone intercepts and surveillance and, by his own admission, Mr McManus had access to large amounts of cash.

In his 2012 police record of interview about the bag of cash, Mr McManus claimed he used 20 crew members to "sneak" cash in from New Zealand.

He also boasted to police if they came round to his house "right now" they would find a safe with "600 large sittin' in it" from a Lenny Kravitz tour.

Mr McManus also said he had friends lending him money because his company Andrew McManus Presents was going under.

It wasn't only Owen Hanson who lent him money, he told police in 2012.

"Michael Kroger, who's the head of the Victorian Liberal Party, has done the same thing for me."

Mr McManus said on six or seven occasions Mr Kroger had "put cash in and then I'll, you know, fold it out."

Another to have lent money to Mr McManus is David Lowy, the son of Australian shopping centre magnate Frank Lowy.

Mr Lowy said he had previously loaned funds for 17 McManus projects, all of which had been repaid, with interest, from box office receipts.

"In addition there are currently loan funds outstanding for two projects – KISS (touring in October) and Def Leppard (touring in November)," Mr Lowy said.

Mr Lowy's band The Dead Daisies is the support act for KISS.

Fairfax Media is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Mr Lowy or Mr Kroger.

Magistrate Henson allowed Mr McManus the return of his passport for the KISS tour after his partner Kayla Evison, who the court heard was 30-years-old and studying at university, agreed to put up $300,000 in surety.

Mr Morrissey said his client was unlikely to flee as Def Leppard would be touring in November. It would not be good for his career "to leave them stranded," Mr Morrissey said.

Mr McManus will return to court on October 14.