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 all of it away on abroad on line casino sites, sources near the matter stated Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in accordance with his lawyer, who stated a resolution by means of litigation is being thought-about.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer mentioned the man had told him that he had moved the money out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the person lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned within the matter.

Last Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal fees. In accordance with the town, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had saved his phone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

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 monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was at the top of the list.

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