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

The person is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision by way of litigation is being thought-about.

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

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized charges. In keeping with the town, the person had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he grew to become unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had saved his phone 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 transfer request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the high of the checklist.

Your entire amount was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.