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

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who said a resolution through litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized charges. In keeping with the town, the man had refused to return the cash, 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 became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

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 monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was at the prime of the listing.

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