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 town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad on line casino websites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who stated a resolution by litigation is being thought of.

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 conference Monday, the lawyer said the man had advised him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing 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 man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized fees. In response to the city, the person had refused to return the cash, 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 became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had saved his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

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

The whole amount was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.