Man mistakenly sent 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles all of it 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 overseas on line casino sites, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who said a resolution via litigation is being thought-about.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the man had instructed him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Last Thursday, the city sued the man for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal fees. In accordance with the city, the person had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will atone for my sins."

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

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

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