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

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

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in accordance with his lawyer, who said a resolution through litigation is being thought of.

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

Talking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the person had told him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be involved in the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the total return of the funds plus authorized fees. In response 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 turned unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit towards 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 reduction 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 person whose identify was at the top of the listing.

Your complete amount was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.