Man mistakenly despatched 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 aid money by the western Japan town he resides in, says he gambled all of it away on overseas on line casino sites, sources near 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 accordance with his lawyer, who said a resolution by way of litigation is being considered.

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

Talking at a press conference Monday, the lawyer stated the man had informed him that he had moved the cash out of his account utilizing his smartphone. The lawyer said that the person lives alone and nobody else is believed to be involved 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 person's lawyer has refuted claims that he grew to become unreachable after the town filed the lawsuit in opposition to 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 aid cash to every of the 463 low-income households in Abu had been accomplished, a town official mistakenly submitted a single switch request to a financial institution for 46.3 million yen for the person whose title was at the prime of the checklist.

All the amount was transferred to the man's checking account on April 8.