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 on line casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in accordance with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision via litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking 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 person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus legal fees. In keeping with the city, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I will atone for my sins."

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

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief cash 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 establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was on the top of the record.

Your entire quantity was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.