Kara Hurring trial: $10m was Lotto win court hears

During an interview with police after the Former Rotorua woman returned to New Zealand, she told them her

partner Hui ``Leo'' Gao said he had won Lotto, a Rotorua District Court jury has heard.

The Crown alleges that after Westpac mistakenly put $10 million into the bank account of 33-year-old Hurring's

partner, Hui ``Leo'' Gao, he left the country, and four days later Hurring and her daughter  left New Zealand and went to Hong Kong.

Hurring is on trial and the 25 theft charges relate to Hurring allegedly using Gao's bankcard to make purchases and withdraw money from ATMs in New Zealand. Three counts  involving attempts to use a document relate to

Hurring  allegedly trying to make purchases and withdraw money, also in New Zealand. Hurring has pleaded not guilty to all 30 charges.

The two money-laundering counts relate to Hurring allegedly setting up a ``player'' account at a casino in Macau, where two deposits were made totalling more than $340,000, money that could be converted into chips  for gambling or to pay for services including accommodation and food.

Hurring was interviewed by police and the inter view was played to the jury.

Hurring said she did not have access to any of Gao's accounts.

She said she was at her home in Rotorua one night when Gao started ``yahooing'' .

``I was trying to talk to him. . . He was acting absolutely crazy.''

Hurring said when she looked at Gao's laptop she saw ``lots of zeroes''.

``It didn't seem real. . . I kept asking what has happened. He was like on another planet.''

The next day they went to the service station and Gao was telling people he had won Lotto, Hurring said.

They went to Auckland and Gao was being secretive. Gao said he was going to China and Hurring  begged to

go with him.

Gao left the country and Hurring did too with her daughter a few days later.

She met up with Gao in Macau and thought she was having a holiday.

The first she knew about the mistake Westpac had made was when she saw television coverage about it.