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

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

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who stated a resolution by litigation is being thought-about.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the man had advised him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

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

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was on the prime of the list.

The entire quantity was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.