SYDNEY: A Malaysian student, accused of spending a whopping AU$4.6 million (RM15.2 million) on a shopping spree after a bank mistakenly deposited an unlimited overdraft into her account, has pleaded not guilty to fraud charges.
Christine Lee Jia Xin arrived at the Downing Centre court here garbed in ripped jeans, a cap and white trainers.
Hugo Aston, the lawyer for the 21-year-old student, said Lee will be defended to the fullest against charges of dishonestly obtaining financial advantage by deception and knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime.
“We are confident that our client will be freed, said Aston.
Aston said Lee’s family is now in Sydney, having flown over from Malaysia to provide her with moral support during the course of the trial.
However, they were not present in court today.
Matt Tregoning, a representative of the Wastpac Banking Corporation, the bank which mistakenly submitted the overdraft into Lee’s account, was present as an observer.
Lee was arrested in May by Sydney immigration officials while attempting to board a flight to rerturn to Malaysia.
The chemical engineering student was given the unlimited overdraft following an error by Westpac in 2012.
Lee was alleged to have been aware of the overdraft on July 2014 before spending RM15.2 million over the following 11 months.
Lee is also said to have spent AU$220,000 in one day while shopping at a Christian Dior boutique in Sydney.
In April last year, a Westpac senior manager realised the error and had contacted Lee, urging her to take responsibility over the loss of the millions of dollars.
The girl had previously claimed that she thought her parents had deposited the money into her account. -- Agencies