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

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who stated a resolution via litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had told him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal fees. In line with the city, the man had refused to return the money, 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 in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief cash to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was at the top of the record.

Your complete quantity was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.