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 relief money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad on line casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who mentioned a resolution by way of litigation is being thought-about.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had instructed him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized charges. Based on the town, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

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

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 accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was on the top of the listing.

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