Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles all of it away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 relief cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad on line casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution through litigation is being considered.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on Might 12, 2022, on the Abu town workplace in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo)

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had instructed him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized fees. In accordance with the city, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I will atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid cash to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose name was on the high of the listing.

Your entire amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.