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 relief money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on abroad casino websites, 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 town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, based on 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 office in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. (Kyodo)

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

Last Thursday, the town sued the man for around 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized charges. In keeping with the town, the man had refused to return the money, 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 grew to become unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had kept his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

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

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