Man mistakenly despatched 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 reduction money by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who mentioned a decision via litigation is being considered.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had advised him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal charges. Based on 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 grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had saved 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 completed, a town official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was at the prime of the listing.

Your entire amount was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.