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

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who stated a decision by litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Final Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal charges. In line with the city, 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 man's lawyer has refuted claims that he grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had stored his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the top of the checklist.

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