ROTORUA, New Zealand, June 13 (UPI) -- A New Zealand man known as "the accidental millionaire," pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft totaling nearly $6.8 million.
Hui Gao pleaded guilty to seven charges of theft Tuesday in Auckland District Court Tuesday, TVNZ reported. He originally was charged with 16 counts of theft and two counts of money laundering.
Sentencing in Rotorua was scheduled for Aug. 24.
Hui Gao and his ex-partner Kara Hurring left New Zealand in 2009 after a banking error accidentally gave Gao access to $10 million instead of the $100,000 he requested as a loan for his gas station in Rotorua.
Gao and Hurring allegedly transferred $6.78 million to separate bank accounts when the banking mistake was made. The two fled New Zealand separately.
Hurring, who denied knowing the source of the $10 million, was found guilty of 27 counts of theft and money laundering last month.
The bank realized its error by May 4 and alerted authorities, CNN reported. A global manhunt that included Interpol ensued. After two and a half years in hiding, Gao was arrested in Hong Kong in September and extradited to New Zealand in December.
Hurring returned to New Zealand voluntarily in February 2011.
