Man mistakenly despatched 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 aid money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who said a decision through litigation is being considered.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on Might 12, 2022, on the Abu city workplace in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo)

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal charges. In accordance with the town, 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 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 switch request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was on the high of the listing.

The complete amount was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.