Runaway millionaire pleads not guilty to 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

The Rotorua woman accused of taking advantage of Westpac's overdraft error and fleeing to China with millions of dollars has pleaded not guilty to a raft of money laundering charges.

Kara Hurring had 24 new charges laid in the Rotorua District Court in addition to the eight she already faces, relating to a three day period in 2009.

The amounts of the alleged money laundering vary from $14.38 to $1,573.

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.

Hurring has been remanded on bail to appear again at the end of next month for a post-committal conference.

- Newstalk ZB, NZ Herald staff