Runaway millionaire facing 24 more charges

Kara Mary-Jo Hurring appears in the Rotorua District Court in relation to the theft of $10 million from Westpac Bank in Rotorua in 2009. Photo / Alan Gibson

A former Rotorua woman who allegedly left New Zealand with her partner when Westpac mistakenly put $10 million into his account will face 24 new charges when she appears in court next week.

Kara May-Jo Hurring, 32, appeared in the Rotorua District Court last week facing eight charges of money-laundering and one of theft.

The offences are alleged to have been committed between April 28 and May 5, 2009.

She has been charged, along with Hui "Leo" Gao, with stealing $6.78 million at Rotorua between April 24 and May 4, 2009.

She, with Gao, also faces eight counts of money-laundering of varying amounts ranging from $361,000 to $500,000 at Auckland.

Police say a $10 million overdraft facility was mistakenly loaded into the business account of Hurring's partner, Gao, in April 2009. Gao had asked for a $100,000 overdraft to prop up his ailing service station business on the corner of Old Taupo and Otonga Rds.

A total of $6.78million was allegedly transferred into other accounts and the pair then left for Hong Kong, police say. The error was discovered on May 5.

The police officer in charge of the case, Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Loper, told The Daily Post yesterday that Hurring would face 24 new charges on Monday, when she was due to next appear in the Rotorua District Court.

However, Mr Loper would not give any details of the charges or comment further.