Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles all of it away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly despatched 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 reduction money by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad on line casino websites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution by means of litigation is being thought-about.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer said the person had told 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 concerned within the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized fees. In line with 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 turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had stored his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was on the prime of the checklist.

The complete quantity was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.