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

A 24-year-old man mistakenly despatched 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 aid money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas casino websites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who stated a decision through litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer stated the man had told him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. According to the town, the man had refused to return the money, 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 grew to become unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had saved his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid 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 financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the high of the checklist.

The whole quantity was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.