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 reduction cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino sites, sources near the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution via litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the person had told him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus legal charges. According to the city, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will atone for my sins."

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

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

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