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

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 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 on line casino sites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able 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 litigation is being thought-about.

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

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized fees. In accordance with the city, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he grew to become unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was on the top of the list.

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