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

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who stated a resolution 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 convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized fees. In keeping with the town, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was at the prime of the checklist.

All the quantity was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.