Man mistakenly sent 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles all of it away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 aid cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino websites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who said a resolution by way of litigation is being thought-about.

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

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

Final Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal charges. In keeping with the town, 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 city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash to each 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 name was on the high of the list.

The complete quantity was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.