Welcome Guest   |  Login   |   Signup
JG Logo
Sat, May 26, 2012
Archive Search

'Accidental Millionaire' Arrested After Two Years On The Run
David Barber | September 30, 2011

A 30-year-old Chinese-New Zealander who fled the country after his bank mistakenly put 10 million New Zealand dollars into his account two-and-a-half years ago has been arrested in Hong Kong, Friday. (JG Photo/Safir Makki) A 30-year-old Chinese-New Zealander who fled the country after his bank mistakenly put 10 million New Zealand dollars into his account two-and-a-half years ago has been arrested in Hong Kong, Friday. (JG Photo/Safir Makki)
Share This Page
0
1
0
0
Share with google+ :


Post a comment
Please login to post comment

Comments

Be the first to write your opinion!

Wellington, New Zealand. A 30-year-old Chinese-New Zealander who fled the country after his bank mistakenly put 10 million New Zealand dollars (7.8 million US dollars) into his account two-and-a-half years ago has been arrested in Hong Kong, police announced Friday.

They said the man, earlier identified as Hui (Leo) Gao, was stopped as he tried to cross into Hong Kong from China at Lok Ma Chau and arrested on an Interpol warrant charged with stealing 6,782,000 New Zealand dollars from Westpac Banking Corp in April 2009.

The bank mistakenly gave Gao, part--owner of a struggling petrol station in the North Island city Rotorua, access to 10 million New Zealand dollars when it was formalising a temporary overdraft of 100,000 dollars that he had requested, Court documents said.

Police allege that he transferred 6,782,000 New Zealand dollars of the money into other accounts and flew to Hong Kong with his then girlfriend, Kara Hurring.

They say the error was discovered days after they left and about half the money was recovered from New Zealand accounts, leaving 3,872,000 New Zealand dollars still missing.

Hurring was arrested on related charges when she returned voluntarily to New Zealand earlier this year and is due to stand trial in February.

DPA