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Couple withdraws money, flees after bank error
[May 21, 2009] WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Police launched an international search for two New Zealanders who allegedly took the money and ran after a bank mistakenly put 10 million New Zealand dollars ($6.1 million) into their account.
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The couple, who operated a gas station in the northern city of Rotorua, applied to Westpac Bank for a NZ$10,000 ($6,000) overdraft, but 1,000 times that amount was paid into their account. The two then withdrew some of the money and disappeared, Detective Senior Sgt. David Harvey said. Westpac said Thursday it considered the money to be stolen, but conceded it was human error at the bank that made the couple accidental millionaires. Authorities did not release their identities. Harvey said Interpol has been contacted for help, suggesting authorities believe they may have fled abroad with the cash. "We are currently conducting an investigation into the individuals that may have been involved in the withdrawal of that money," Harvey said. Westpac spokesman Craig Dowling said the huge deposit appeared to be the result of human error. He said the bank had recovered some of the money but declined to give details about the case. Westpac Bank said in a statement it was "pursuing vigorous criminal and civil action to recover the sum of money stolen," but declined further comment. Banking Ombudsman Liz Brown said it is generally considered a criminal offense for people to spend money accidentally deposited into a bank account if they are aware that the cash is not theirs. In her 15 years as banking Ombudsman, Brown said she had been involved in 10 to 20 similar cases. |
