Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles it all away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly despatched 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 relief cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas on line casino sites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision by litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Last Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. According to the city, 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his phone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a town 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 record.

The complete amount was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.