‘Accidental millionaire’ Leo Gao has appeared at a Rotorua court hearing today seeking bail.
Gao is facing 16 charges of theft and 11 of money laundering after he and his girlfriend Kara Hurring fled to China when $10 million appeared in his account following a glitch by Westpac.
Authorities have recovered about $3 million, with about $6.78 million outstanding.
Gao was arrested at the Hong Kong border in September and was extradited to New Zealand, where he appeared in court in December.
He attempted to seek bail on December 23 but no judge was available to hear the case.
Gao was remanded in custody to reappear today, where he applied for electronic bail.
The judge expressed his concerns over the fact that if Gao has run away with millions before, he can certainly do it again.
Hurring, 32, re-entered New Zealand in February 2011 and is due to stand trial in February on charges of theft and money laundering.
3 News