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

A 24-year-old man mistakenly despatched 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 reduction money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad on line casino websites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

The person 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 by means of litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer said the man had instructed him that he had moved the cash 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.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus legal charges. In line with the town, the man had refused to return the cash, 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 became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored his telephone 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 city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was on the high of the checklist.

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