'Runaway Millionaire' denied bail

Accidental millionaire Leo Gao has been in custody since his arrest in September. Photo / Christine Cornege

A man dubbed the "runaway millionaire'' has been refused bail.

Leo Gao, 31, appeared before Judge James Weir in Rotorua District Court on Monday when his lawyer Ron Mansfield applied for electronically monitored bail.

Police opposed the application.

Judge James Weir released his decision today, refusing electronically monitored bail.

Gao, whose name appears on charge sheets as Hui Gao, faces 17 charges of theft of $6,782,000, including one joint charge with Kara Hurring, and 10 charges of money laundering.

Eight of the laundering charges are joint charges with Hurring, his then partner.

The charges relate to offending alleged to have been committed between April 24 and May 5, 2009 in Rotorua, but mostly in Auckland.

Gao had applied to Westpac for a $100,000 overdraft in 2009 but the bank accidentally loaded a $10 million overdraft on to his account. When he realised the error he allegedly skipped the country with Hurring.

He is accused of transferring almost $6.8 million of Westpac's money into several accounts before fleeing the country. About $3.9 million has not been recovered.

Gao was arrested in Hong Kong in September and was returned to New Zealand just before Christmas and was remanded in custody.

The couple's disappearance sparked an international manhunt involving Interpol and other overseas agencies.

Hurring, 32, was arrested when she re-entered New Zealand earlier last year and is due to stand trial next month.