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

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 reduction money by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino websites, sources near the matter stated 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 said a resolution via litigation is being thought of.

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 convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized charges. In line with the town, the person had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

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

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief cash to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was at the prime of the record.

All the amount was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.