On-the-run millionaires may have split company

Kara Hurring and her daughter Leena are missing in China with Westpac's $3.8 million. Photo / Supplied

The couple who fled New Zealand with nearly $4 million after a banking blunder may have separated.

Police investigating the disappearance of Leo Gao, 29, and Kara Mary Jo Hurring, 30, have been speaking to a woman who was with them but who returned to Auckland from Hong Kong yesterday.

They have not named the woman, but she is believed to be Ms Hurring's sister, Aroha Hurring, 22, of Blenheim.

Detective Senior Sergeant David Harvey, of Rotorua, said today the woman told police that Kara Hurring was still in the Hong Kong area but did not know where Leo Gao was.

Mr Harvey, the officer in charge of the investigation, said the woman was being treated as a witness and had not been charged with any offence.

Gao and Hurring are being sought after the disappearance of millions of dollars mistakenly put into a Westpac bank account.

Rotorua service station owner Gao had asked for a $100,000 overdraft from Westpac but when the bank sought to formalise the overdraft, it mistakenly credited $10 million instead of the $100,000.

Gao then attempted to transfer amounts totalling around $6.7m to other accounts but the bank managed to recover $2.8m.

Police are continuing to work on the preparation of a mutual assistance request to the Chinese Government.

Mr Harvey repeated his call for Gao and Hurring to return to New Zealand.

"I again urge them to reflect on their options, take the opportunity to come back to New Zealand, and get this matter resolved before all the money is spent," he said.

- NZPA