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 cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who said a resolution by way of litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had told him that he had moved the money out of his account using 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 city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized fees. In response to the town, the man 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had saved his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was at the top of the checklist.

The whole amount was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.