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 reduction money by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino websites, sources near the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who stated a decision by means 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)

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the person had advised him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the man for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal fees. In line with the town, the man 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 became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had saved his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid money to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, 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 prime of the listing.

All the quantity was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.