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 all of it away on overseas casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in accordance with his lawyer, who said a decision by means of litigation is being considered.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer said the man had informed him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. In keeping with the city, the person had refused to return the cash, 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 grew to become unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had saved his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

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 transfer request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose name was at the high of the record.

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