Man mistakenly sent 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles it all 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 casino websites, sources close to the matter stated Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the city of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in response to his lawyer, who said a resolution by way of litigation is being thought of.

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

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

Final Thursday, the city sued the man for around 51 million yen for the complete return of the funds plus legal fees. In line with the town, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot 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 phone following voluntary questioning in April and May.

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

The whole amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.