Man mistakenly sent 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 cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The man 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 said a decision by litigation is being considered.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on May 12, 2022, on the Abu city workplace 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 utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the person 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 total return of the funds plus authorized charges. In keeping with the city, the person had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot 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 towards him, saying that police had saved 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 completed, a town 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 checklist.

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