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 reduction cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who said a decision through litigation is being thought-about.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer stated the person had advised 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 involved in the matter.

Last Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal fees. In line with the town, the man had refused to return the cash, 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 turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the prime of the record.

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