Julian Assange agrees to write autobiography for British and U.S. publishing house

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange on Sunday ageed to write an autobiography for a British and U.S. publishing house in a deal worth over $1 million to cover legal expenses, British media reported.

Assange, 39, from Australia, stated to be writing a book in order to cover his expenses as he continues to face legal procedures over sex crime allegations. "I don't want to write this book, but I have to," he told the Sunday Times. "I have already spent £200,000 ($309,000) for legal costs and I need to defend myself and to keep WikiLeaks afloat.", according to WireUpdate.

He said he expects to get $800,000 from the US publishing house Alfred A. Knopf and about $500,000 from Canongate, a British publisher.

Profits from other markets are expected to boost the total deal to more than $1.5 million, he added.

Assange is currently out on bail in Britain as he fights efforts to extradite him to Sweden, New York Post reports.