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 reduction money 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 stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who said a resolution via litigation is being considered.

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

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. In accordance with the city, the person 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 towards him, saying that police had stored his phone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

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 on the prime of the listing.

Your complete quantity was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.