Man mistakenly despatched 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 cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad casino websites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who said a resolution by means of litigation is being considered.

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

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

Final Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized charges. According to the town, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief money to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the prime of the record.

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