Man mistakenly despatched 46.3 mil. yen in COVID funds gambles it all away

A 24-year-old man mistakenly sent 46.3 million yen ($360,000) in COVID-19 aid cash 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 said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to be able to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in line with his lawyer, who said a decision through litigation is being thought of.

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

Speaking at a press convention Monday, the lawyer said the person had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account using his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the person lives alone and nobody 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 legal charges. In response to the town, the person 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 turned unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had saved his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Might.

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

Your complete amount was transferred to the man's bank account on April 8.