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 reduction cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who stated a decision through litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer said the person 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 in the matter.

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

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

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the top of the listing.

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