Article published: 7:42 AM Wednesday July 1, 2009
Hunt continues for NZ runaway millionaires
Police are still chasing the New Zealand couple who left home in a hurry after they discovered their bank had accidentally deposited $10 million into their account, instead of the $100,000 they had asked for.
Leo Gao and Kara Hurring have been on the run since May.
When Westpac accidently put $10 million in their bank account, the couple did what many only dream about: they closed up their petrol station in Rotorua and booked two flights to Hong Kong. They were spotted in Asia, but then disappeared again.
Abigail Hartevelt is a journalist at Rotorua's Daily Post Newspaper, which broke the story of New Zealand's accidental millionaires. "It was a huge story and particularly the first week. We ran it most days on the front page," she said. "People just kept on talking about it and had lots of people talking about what was the latest on these two people that had run away with millions of dollars." She says people in Rotorua are still asking what has happened to them. "We're getting a little bit of interest still, just waiting to hear," she said.
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Westpac is also waiting anxiously to hear. Leo Gao and Kara Hurring got away with more than $3 million of the bank's money.
Trail gone cold
In recent weeks, the trail appears to have gone cold. The Rotorua detective heading the investigation admitted he did not have anything new to add. The only thing he would say is that police are "hamstrung" until they get an application back from their headquarters in Wellington. He would not go into any more detail. One of the private investigators employed by Westpac is now back in New Zealand. He is also tight-lipped but did say he no longer has a contract with the bank.
Guy Underwood is the CEO of Risq, a company which specialises in tracking down fraudsters and is not surprised things are taking so long. "Had this have been a simple situation, where the money was placed into the account in New Zealand, they remained at their home abode or at their work and the funds had remained in an account, or accounts within New Zealand, this would have been well and truly wrapped up," he said. "As soon as you start talking about funds being sent offshore, and the persons of interest fleeing the jurisdiction as well, it just multiplies tenfold the difficulties."
He says if he were a gambling man he would put his money on them being caught. "Whether or not they hand themselves in because of remorse, or whether they're talked into it, talked into doing it," he said. "But I think whilst it's a substantial amount of funds, it's not sufficient funds to disappear off the face of the earth "And with the complex laws that are in place around the world in terms of anti-moneying law and counter-terrorism laws etc., needing proof of identity to open bank accounts etc, I'd be surprised if they're not apprehended at some stage.
"Timing could be different and it might be next week, it might be next month, it might be next year but I'd be very surprised if they're not caught."
Source: abc.net.au Kerri Ritchie
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/01/2613137.htm?section=business
Guy Underwood is the CEO of Risq, a company which specialises in tracking down fraudsters and is not surprised things are taking so long. "Had this have been a simple situation, where the money was placed into the account in New Zealand, they remained at their home abode or at their work and the funds had remained in an account, or accounts within New Zealand, this would have been well and truly wrapped up," he said. "As soon as you start talking about funds being sent offshore, and the persons of interest fleeing the jurisdiction as well, it just multiplies tenfold the difficulties."
He says if he were a gambling man he would put his money on them being caught. "Whether or not they hand themselves in because of remorse, or whether they're talked into it, talked into doing it," he said. "But I think whilst it's a substantial amount of funds, it's not sufficient funds to disappear off the face of the earth "And with the complex laws that are in place around the world in terms of anti-moneying law and counter-terrorism laws etc., needing proof of identity to open bank accounts etc, I'd be surprised if they're not apprehended at some stage.
"Timing could be different and it might be next week, it might be next month, it might be next year but I'd be very surprised if they're not caught."
Source: abc.net.au Kerri Ritchie
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/01/2613137.htm?section=business
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