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 all of it away on overseas on line casino websites, sources close to the matter said Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who said a resolution via litigation is being considered.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on May 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 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 around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. Based on 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 person'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 telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid 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 monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose name was at the high of the list.

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