Article published: 6:22PM Saturday May 23, 2009
Runaway millionaire Leo Gao described as 'shady character'
Tenants of runaway millionaire Leo Gao have described their landlord as a shady character who left them in the lurch.
Not only did Gao turn his back on his many commitments when he fled the country, he didn't bother covering his tracks either.
His car still sits at Auckland Airport with its doors unlocked.
But carelessness seems to be a trait of Gao according to one of his tenants.
"He didn't do things by the book," says tenant Jesse Connop. "He didn't really keep the place in that greater order. He wasn't around much."
Gao and is business partner Huan di Zhang co-own a number of residential properties in and around Auckland, but they could soon be under the control of the Westpac Bank. Today the bank confirmed today that it has made legal moves to take them over.
Mr Connop and his six flatmates are nervous the bank will take over the property and kick them out, but in the meantime they're living there for free. Mr Connop says he stopped paying his rent when Gao disappeared.
"From my understanding there's no reason to pay it now," he says. "Another flatmate tried to pay the money on Thursday and the money bounced."
Private Investigators say Gao will get caught and that his crime was plain stupid.
If and when the runaways are caught, they will likely face charges of obtaining by deception - a crime that has a maximum sentence of seven years.
There is also the possibility of charges of money laundering.
And any accessories to the crime, including his partner Kara Yang, would face the same charges
Source: 3 News / NZPA / Newstalk ZB
Not only did Gao turn his back on his many commitments when he fled the country, he didn't bother covering his tracks either.
His car still sits at Auckland Airport with its doors unlocked.
But carelessness seems to be a trait of Gao according to one of his tenants.
"He didn't do things by the book," says tenant Jesse Connop. "He didn't really keep the place in that greater order. He wasn't around much."
Gao and is business partner Huan di Zhang co-own a number of residential properties in and around Auckland, but they could soon be under the control of the Westpac Bank. Today the bank confirmed today that it has made legal moves to take them over.
Mr Connop and his six flatmates are nervous the bank will take over the property and kick them out, but in the meantime they're living there for free. Mr Connop says he stopped paying his rent when Gao disappeared.
"From my understanding there's no reason to pay it now," he says. "Another flatmate tried to pay the money on Thursday and the money bounced."
Private Investigators say Gao will get caught and that his crime was plain stupid.
If and when the runaways are caught, they will likely face charges of obtaining by deception - a crime that has a maximum sentence of seven years.
There is also the possibility of charges of money laundering.
And any accessories to the crime, including his partner Kara Yang, would face the same charges
Source: 3 News / NZPA / Newstalk ZB
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