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 aid cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

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

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the person had advised him that he had moved the money out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer said that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved within the matter.

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized fees. Based on the town, the man 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 man's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had stored 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 town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose identify was on the prime of the record.

All the amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.