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 on line casino websites, 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 town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on his lawyer, who stated a decision by way of litigation is being thought-about.

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

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

Last Thursday, the city sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal fees. In accordance with the city, 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 grew to become 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 switch request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was on the top of the checklist.

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