Man mistakenly sent 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 on line casino sites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

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

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer said the man 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 no one else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus legal charges. According to 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had stored his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction money to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was at the prime of the record.

The entire amount was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.