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

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

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

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

Last Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal fees. In line with the city, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will 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 stored his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose name was on the top of the checklist.

The whole amount was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.