New Zealand's 'Accidental Millionaire' jailed
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A gas station owner who fled to China with millions of dollars after his bank mistakenly gave him the money has been sentenced by a New Zealand court to four years and seven months in prison.
A 2009 bank error gave Hui "Leo" Gao a credit line of 10 million New Zealand dollars ($8.1 million). Gao transferred most of the money overseas before the bank realized its mistake. Dubbed the "Accidental Millionaire," the 32-year-old then fled to China with his partner, Kara Hurring.
The bank recovered about two-thirds of the money. Gao, who was extradited from Hong Kong last year, said at his sentencing Friday he had none of the money left.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gao and Hurring earlier pleaded guilty to theft charges. Hurring was sentenced Friday to nine months home detention.