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

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

The man is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who stated a resolution by way of litigation is being considered.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer mentioned that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal charges. In accordance 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 man's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against 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 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 institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was at the high of the checklist.

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