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

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who mentioned a decision through 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 conference Monday, the lawyer stated the person had advised him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal charges. In response to 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 man's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had saved his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash 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 man whose identify was on the high of the list.

Your entire amount was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.