Bank worker responsible for $10m blunder sacked

Kara Hurring (L), pictured with her daughter Leena, is still on the run with her partner Leo Gao, whose bank account was mistakenly credited with $10 million by Westpac in May. Photo / Supplied

The Westpac employee involved in a $10 million bungle this year has been sacked following a second mistake.

In May, Rotorua couple, Leo Gao and Kara Hurring, skipped the country for Hong Kong after the Westpac worker mistakenly credited Mr Gao's account with a $10 million overdraft when he had asked for just $100,000.

Most of the money was recovered, but $3.8 million remains outstanding and police, assisted by Chinese authorities, are still trying to track down Gao and Hurring.

Westpac spokesman Craig Dowling today confirmed the worker involved in the incident had been fired following a subsequent error, in which she keyed in the wrong loan amount.

The second incident had not resulted in a loss for the bank.

"There was a process that was gone through post that, so it wasn't just as a result of that error," he said.

The woman, who has more than 30 years banking experience, had been offered another role, with the same pay rate, at the bank, but turned it down, Mr Dowling said.

Mr Dowling said Westpac was not aware of any legal action being taken by the woman after the Sunday Star Times today reported that she intended to fight her dismissal through the Employment Relations Authority.

- NZPA