New Zealand's news agency NZPA said the couple, who ran a gas station in the northern city of Rotorua, had applied to Westpac Bank for a NZ$10,000 overdraft but 1,000 times that amount was paid into their account in error.
"The individuals associated with this account are believed to have left New Zealand and police (are) working through Interpol to locate those individuals," Harvey said in a statement.
"Westpac Bank has recovered some of the money which had been inappropriately withdrawn."
Westpac refused to confirm the amount of money missing but in a statement said the bank was "pursuing vigorous criminal and civil action to recover the sum of money stolen."
Banking ombudsman Liz Brown told Rotorua's The Daily Post newspaper that generally it was a criminal offence for people to spend money that was accidentally put into their bank account if they knew it did not belong to them.
In her 15 years as banking ombudsman she said she had been involved in 10 to 20 cases of this kind which were legally referred to as "payment by mistake."
Seriously, in today's economy (that was for you, Jeanette) who WOULDN'T flee the country after receiving millions of dollars—mistake or not? You better believe I'd be outta here if it happened to me. Just sayin'...
Related Things: