Man mistakenly despatched 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 relief money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino websites, 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 town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who said a resolution by litigation is being thought-about.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had informed him that he had moved the cash 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 city sued the person for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized charges. In line with the city, the person 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had kept his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

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 accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was at the prime of the checklist.

All the quantity was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.