Man mistakenly despatched 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 cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas casino websites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who stated a resolution through litigation is being thought-about.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had informed him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and nobody 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 authorized charges. In keeping with the town, 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 turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

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

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