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 reduction money by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas casino sites, sources near the matter stated 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, in accordance with his lawyer, who said a decision via litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had advised him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the man for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. Based on the town, the man 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 grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid 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 monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was on the high of the record.

The entire quantity was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.