Man mistakenly despatched 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 city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned 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 line with his lawyer, who said a resolution by means of litigation is being considered.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the person had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized fees. In line with the city, the man had refused to return the cash, 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 against him, saying that police had saved his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief money 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 establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was at the high of the checklist.

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