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 relief cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas on line 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 city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who said a decision by way of 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)

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 mentioned that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal fees. In response to the town, the man had refused to return the money, 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 grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

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 town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the high of the list.

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