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

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who said a resolution through litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had informed him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. Based on the town, the person had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had stored his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was at the high of the checklist.

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