Man mistakenly sent 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 relief cash by the western Japan city he resides in, says he gambled it all away on abroad on line casino sites, sources near the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision by means of litigation is being considered.

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

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

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus authorized fees. According to the city, the man had refused to return the money, 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 grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit against him, saying that police had saved his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

On April 6, after procedures to transfer 100,000 yen in COVID-19 reduction money to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was at the top of the checklist.

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