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 it all away on abroad casino websites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

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

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had instructed him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

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

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had saved his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

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

Your complete amount was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.