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

The person is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution through litigation is being thought-about.

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 conference Monday, the lawyer said the person had advised him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing 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 city sued the man for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized charges. Based on the city, the person had refused to return the money, 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 in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

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

Your complete amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.