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 reduction cash by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad casino sites, sources close to the matter stated 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 keeping with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision via litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had instructed him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing 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 man for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal charges. In keeping with the town, the person had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had stored his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 aid cash to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the high of the list.

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