Post by pakenhamtrain on May 22, 2009 8:52:32 GMT
From the Age:
www.theage.com.au/world/bank-blunder-couple-flee-to-hong-kong-police-20090522-bi5v.html?page=-1
For this Couple at least it was Collect 10 million and run.
Bank blunder couple flee to Hong Kong: police
May 22, 2009 - 5:08PM
A New Zealand couple who fled the country after receiving millions of dollars in a banking error may have had a 16-day head start on police.
Police, who are refusing to confirm speculation over the case, said today those being sought were believed to have travelled to Hong Kong.
International police liaison organisation Interpol had been called to help find them.
It also emerged that other family members were also missing.
The unnamed couple, believed to be Asian man "Leo" Gao, perhaps in his 30s, and his Kiwi girlfriend Kara (or Cara) Young, have not been seen since $NZ10 million was mistakenly deposited into their account after they applied for a $NZ10,000 business overdraft.
The $NZ10 million was first deposited in the account on or about May 5, but police only announced it was investigating the matter yesterday - 16 days later - the New Zealand Herald reported.
Police would not say when Westpac first reported the missing money.
Mr Gao and his girlfriend reportedly left the country after abandoning his service station on Old Taupo Road in Rotorua, NZPA said. The service station went into receivership on May 8.
The service station closed so suddenly that motorists were still driving in to fill up thinking it was open, it said.
Other members of Mr Gao's family were also missing, NZPA said.
While police could not say where the couple may have gone, local media said a police officer involved working on the case had been sent to China, it said.
Mr Gao lived in a house close to the service station with other family members. The unoccupied, furnished house has been for sale for $NZ220,000 since October.
Neighbouring business owner Helaine Aim said she was friends with the couple, who she referred to as "Leo" and "Kara" and saw them daily.
Mrs Aim, who owns St Andrews Bakery, said she last saw them two weeks ago. "I would go and have coffee with them at their house. They told me they were planning a holiday."
Mrs Aim said the couple told her they had applied for a loan to refurbish the service station which they were then going to sell.
Westpac said the blunder was put down to human error and did not directly involve its Rotorua branch.
It said it had "taken and continues to take all necessary steps to prevent a mistake such as this happening again".
Westpac had hired a private investigator, Mike Dingwall, to conduct inquiries, the New Zealand Herald said.
Mr Dingwall reportedly told staff of a nearby business he had proof Mr Gao had left the country and that records showed Ms Young had used his credit card in Auckland on May 6.
Chevi Lambert, manager of Andy's Cellar, said she understood Ms Young had not fled New Zealand and was with her mother in Blenheim, however police confirmed she had left the country and was still wanted by authorities.
Ms Young's mother, Suzanne Hurring, owns Michel Hair Dzine in the Queen Market Mall in Blenheim.
Dominion Post, stuff.co.nz, and smh.com.au
May 22, 2009 - 5:08PM
A New Zealand couple who fled the country after receiving millions of dollars in a banking error may have had a 16-day head start on police.
Police, who are refusing to confirm speculation over the case, said today those being sought were believed to have travelled to Hong Kong.
International police liaison organisation Interpol had been called to help find them.
It also emerged that other family members were also missing.
The unnamed couple, believed to be Asian man "Leo" Gao, perhaps in his 30s, and his Kiwi girlfriend Kara (or Cara) Young, have not been seen since $NZ10 million was mistakenly deposited into their account after they applied for a $NZ10,000 business overdraft.
The $NZ10 million was first deposited in the account on or about May 5, but police only announced it was investigating the matter yesterday - 16 days later - the New Zealand Herald reported.
Police would not say when Westpac first reported the missing money.
Mr Gao and his girlfriend reportedly left the country after abandoning his service station on Old Taupo Road in Rotorua, NZPA said. The service station went into receivership on May 8.
The service station closed so suddenly that motorists were still driving in to fill up thinking it was open, it said.
Other members of Mr Gao's family were also missing, NZPA said.
While police could not say where the couple may have gone, local media said a police officer involved working on the case had been sent to China, it said.
Mr Gao lived in a house close to the service station with other family members. The unoccupied, furnished house has been for sale for $NZ220,000 since October.
Neighbouring business owner Helaine Aim said she was friends with the couple, who she referred to as "Leo" and "Kara" and saw them daily.
Mrs Aim, who owns St Andrews Bakery, said she last saw them two weeks ago. "I would go and have coffee with them at their house. They told me they were planning a holiday."
Mrs Aim said the couple told her they had applied for a loan to refurbish the service station which they were then going to sell.
Westpac said the blunder was put down to human error and did not directly involve its Rotorua branch.
It said it had "taken and continues to take all necessary steps to prevent a mistake such as this happening again".
Westpac had hired a private investigator, Mike Dingwall, to conduct inquiries, the New Zealand Herald said.
Mr Dingwall reportedly told staff of a nearby business he had proof Mr Gao had left the country and that records showed Ms Young had used his credit card in Auckland on May 6.
Chevi Lambert, manager of Andy's Cellar, said she understood Ms Young had not fled New Zealand and was with her mother in Blenheim, however police confirmed she had left the country and was still wanted by authorities.
Ms Young's mother, Suzanne Hurring, owns Michel Hair Dzine in the Queen Market Mall in Blenheim.
Dominion Post, stuff.co.nz, and smh.com.au
www.theage.com.au/world/bank-blunder-couple-flee-to-hong-kong-police-20090522-bi5v.html?page=-1
For this Couple at least it was Collect 10 million and run.
