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

A 24-year-old man mistakenly despatched 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 aid cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who mentioned a decision by way of litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had informed him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal charges. In response to the city, the person had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid cash 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 establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was at the high of the record.

All the amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.