Japanese Man Gambled Away $358,000 in COVID Relief
$6,000 Welcome Bonus
A Japanese man gambled away $358,000 worth of COVID-19 relief funds he accidentally received.
A Japanese man has stolen $358,000 in relief funds from the government. The money was supposed to go to 463 low-income households in the town of Abu. He withdrew the money over a two-week period and quit his job. He has since gambled the cash away through apps on his phone.
The Abu Municipal Government is suing the individual for ¥51m ($394,790) and preparing a criminal complaint. The local mayor apologized to residents over the issue.
There are no licensed online casinos in Japan. Local residents use offshore online casino games. A man lost all of the money by gambling through numerous offshore casinos. He will pay back the cash "little by little" after apologizing for spending it.
