Man mistakenly sent 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 aid money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas casino websites, sources close to 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 response to his lawyer, who stated a decision through litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized charges. In response to the city, the person had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had kept his phone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid cash to every 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 at the prime of the listing.

Your entire amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.