Man mistakenly despatched 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 overseas on line casino websites, sources close to the matter mentioned Tuesday.

The man is unlikely to have the ability to return the money transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in keeping with his lawyer, who mentioned a decision through litigation is being considered.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on May 12, 2022, at the Abu city workplace 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 within the matter.

Final Thursday, the town sued the person for round 51 million yen for the full return of the funds plus authorized charges. Based on the city, the man had refused to return the money, saying it was "moved from my account and can't be returned. I will atone for my sins."

The man's lawyer has refuted claims that he turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit towards him, saying that police had kept his cellphone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

On April 6, after procedures to switch 100,000 yen in COVID-19 relief cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been completed, a city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a financial establishment for 46.3 million yen for the man whose title was on the top of the list.

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