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 cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad on line casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who said a decision by litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Final Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. Based on the city, the person 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 became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had stored his phone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid money to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose name was on the top of the record.

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