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 relief cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas casino sites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to 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 town office in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo)

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer stated the man had informed him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer stated 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 authorized fees. In line with the town, the person had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored 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 every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the top of the record.

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