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 money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled it all away on overseas on line casino sites, sources near the matter said Tuesday.

The person is unlikely to have the ability to return the cash transferred to him in error by the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, in accordance with his lawyer, who said a decision by means of litigation is being thought-about.

Abu Mayor Norihiko Hanada speaks to reporters on May 12, 2022, on the Abu town workplace 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 utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer stated that the man lives alone and no one else is believed to be concerned 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. Based on the town, the man had refused to return the cash, saying it was "moved from my account and cannot be returned. I'll atone for my sins."

The person's lawyer has refuted claims that he became unreachable after the city filed the lawsuit in opposition to him, saying that police had stored his telephone following voluntary questioning in April and Could.

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 city official mistakenly submitted a single transfer request to a monetary institution for 46.3 million yen for the man whose name was on the prime of the record.

Your entire amount was transferred to the person's checking account on April 8.