Man mistakenly despatched 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 on line casino websites, sources near the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man 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 said a resolution via litigation is being thought-about.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer stated the man had told him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the man lives alone and nobody else is believed to be concerned in the matter.

Final Thursday, the city sued the person for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus legal fees. According to the town, the person 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 telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction money to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the high of the listing.

Your complete quantity was transferred to the person's bank account on April 8.