Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles all of it 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 abroad on line casino sites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the money transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to his lawyer, who said a decision by litigation is being considered.

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

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized fees. In keeping with the town, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I will atone for my sins."

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

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction cash to each of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary establishment for 46.3 million yen for the person whose identify was on the top of the record.

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