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Town recovers most of ¥46.3 mil mistakenly sent to resident

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… with the majority going to three domestic payment processing agents. 

What is a “domestic payment processing agent”?

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Abu-nai

13 ( +13 / -0 )

The money wouldn't even cover the cost of a house in Tokyo.

By now that town won't welcome him, he need to move to another rural area after that lawsuit.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

How can I get ¥100000 in COVID relief? I lost my job.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The town government refrained from commenting on the repayment due to its ongoing suit against Taguchi for around 51.15 million yen, which includes the mistakenly sent funds as well as expenses including legal fees.

So the government could at least on paper come out ahead with a double payment pending a decision against Taguchi?

Who is the scammer?

7 ( +11 / -4 )

I don’t think he should be responsible for legal fees and expenses. It was their stuff up and they should foot the bill to recover the money.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

I don't believe this guy acted alone. In fact, based on the earlier reports of the timeline of him moving to the town, his "favorable" relationship with his neighbors and his immediate "disappearance" after the money was "mistakenly" deposited in his account, I will not be at all surprised to find out he was just a player in a deeper plot to steal the money.

However, he is still a thief. The money was not his to keep and he knew it. How much better off would he be today if he had simply reported the mistake to the city office immediately after realizing it was in his account? Might the city office had been prompted to award him some small percentage of the total deposit to recognize his honesty?

Doing the wrong thing will almost always come back to bite you. Doing the right thing may not directly benefit one, but it's the right thing to do and karma will remember it.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

Was the repayment done in consent with Taguchi? So he must have been lying (all was spent on casinos) though.

A few (critical) points still remain unaccounted for. The town officials have yet to explain how it happened, and why, probably for fear of reprimands.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

What is a “domestic payment processing agent”?

They mean a credit card company or an online payment system like PayPal or PayPay

Basically he loaded the money on his account he has with them.

The company with the highest concentration of funds then wired them back to the Abu town government, the source said

This doesn't mean he had not spent it.

Same as how you can get your payments back if somebody had stolen and used your credit card.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

My guess is that "payment collection firm" refers to people like Wise, Paypal, and Paypal. Any non-bank service that transfers money.

The obvious thing to say here is that the "I lost it at online casinos" was a clear lie and that he's tried to hide the money as many people suspected. The more lies he tells and more difficulty he creates, the more he should be on the hook for any costs involved in recovering the money. In my worldview anyway.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

So now all the council has to do is explain why they have systems in place that allowed this to happen. AND WHY THEY DIDNT GIVE ¥200,000 in the beginning to each household as the obviously could afford.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Okay …. So someone mistakenly sent him the money … it doesn’t make it his . And then his actions afterwards are all criminal . This fool could get one of the longest jail sentences ever for lying to the police…. Plus all his fraud . And now they’ll tack on money laundering charges . If what he did from the very beginning wasn’t a defined crime before , it surely will be now .

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Police and the Abu government are investigating the details leading to the repayment. 

Why? It was all in house. How long would that even take? A day?

He dispensed a total of around 46.33 million yen across 34 transactions, his legal representative said, with the majority going to three domestic payment processing agents. About 35.92 million yen was sent to a single firm over 27 transfers.

And NO “officials” knew of any of these transactions till just yesterday?

Over 35 million yen has been returned to a local government.

A payment collection firm returned the funds

How “convenient” it has this type of ending. A payment collection firm, RETURNING money…….so kinda like a bookie refunding a gambling debt?

Also the police and government in Japan did nothing to solve the case. Citizens (in this case the firm) had to do it for them.

I’ve been saying how fake and suspicious this whole fiasco has been since day 1.

Looks like they finally “ended” the entire charade. Well it was amusing while it lasted I guess.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

The relief money is taxable even though it is mishandled to deliver to the resident. Taguchi would still have to pay a big income tax (amounting to half 46.3 million!) if he insisted on its ownership and the story of all money being gone for casinos.

The abrupt money return proves his lies, but such may turn out to be good for him.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Sho Taguchi, 24. avaricious impulse has turned full circle. My guess Taguchi gave Western Union a tug.

Sho Taguchi in a blind panic, dug the hole deeper with every transfer.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

If you receive anything in error take steps to return the goods to there rightful owner.

The monies in question were payment for the most venerable in society.

Sho Taguch is unlikely to be forgiven, and will ultimately face harsh justice retribution

He made a crazy foolish choice, give all the money back, one way or another.

Even if it means future earnings.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

A thief is a thief and usually a liar as well.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Asiaman....

What is a “domestic payment processing agent”?

The TV news was reporting it as "company A"..... and "company M" I assume this is Amazon and Mercari. Good that who ever it was repaid the cash.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Went through all that for nothing. Guess he's never heard of the Cayman Islands or the Bahamas.Give him double the required sentence just for being dumb.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

and endless drama continues...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He immediately spent most of the 46.3 million yen that was suddenly transferred to his account.

If I had a large sum of money suddenly transferred to my bank account as he did, I would be worried and wonder why the money was suddenly transferred and where it came from, and would go to the bank or the city office or someone else for advice. Therefore, although the money was transferred by mistake, I suspect that there must be some kind of planning involved.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

once they sent it to his account it became his money.

No it didn't, not by any legal nor moral means. Legally, it was a processing error, that he had done nothing to earn, and therefore is not entitled to keep. Morally, he did nothing to earn it, and therefore has no right to it. The money was never his, and for spending it, he deserves what he gets.

When I see how corrupt Japan's politicians are, how corrupt Japan's legal system is, how corrupt Japan's corporation's are, this little "offence" is a little drop in the ocean.

This guy is neither a politician, nor a lawyer, nor a corporation. And the stolen money didn't belong to any of these people either, it belonged to the townspeople. So what exactly are you railing on about?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Its amazing what threatening to kneecap someone will do to their resolve and storyline...

0 ( +4 / -4 )

It's still pretty funny that they managed to find one of the few Japanese people dishonest enough to try to keep the cash. I myself would have been tempted...or more than tempted..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

How can I get ¥100000 in COVID relief?

how much is that in roubles ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

tooheysnew...

how much is that in roubles ?

With the super strong Ruble rate at the moment only R44,864. Much less than before the "war".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Humour me for a moment, Sho Taguch has been provided with a opportunity to make amends.

What a story, Sho Taguch, 24 years old, presented with the ultimate allure, snared, 46.3 million yen, drops in his lap, imagine his heart racing, he is mentally spending the money. Trapped in the enticement, dribbling at the numbers on offer. Think about the odds of such a opportunity.

That's a book and a film. with the right PR agent.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If one looks at the photos of him, one can instantly realize why he failed...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There seem to be several curious aspects to this news. First, why did he immediately spend the large sum of money, about 46.3 million yen, that was suddenly sent to him without any doubt? If I had been sent a large sum of money by mistake as he was, I would not have spent it immediately, but would have consulted the bank or city hall.

Also, why did the official send such a large sum of money? And fortunately, some money has now been returned to the town from the settlement company and may be returned by other companies in the future. But if the full amount is successfully returned to the town from each company, what will happen to his crime?

Even if the money is successfully recovered, I hope these mysteries will be solved.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The Government is at fault here. I think if they sent hime the money, he should be able to keep it.

Why should he get to keep the money due to a processing error? What did he do to earn it? What moral justification is there for him receiving money he has no right to?

It was not his fault. The mistake was not his.

He spent money he had not earned nor been intentionally given. That was his mistake, not the receipt of the money.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This guy is neither a politician, nor a lawyer, nor a corporation. And the stolen money didn't belong to any of these people either, it belonged to the townspeople. So what exactly are you railing on about?

Here's a "rail". He did not steal the money, he was given the money.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Here's a "rail". He did not steal the money, he was given the money.

He wasn't given the money. The money ended up in his account due to a clerical error. Then the money that was never given to him got spent by him. That's theft mate.

And again, this guy is neither a politician, nor a lawyer, nor a corporation. And the stolen money didn't belong to any of these people either, it belonged to the townspeople. So what exactly were you railing on about:

When I see how corrupt Japan's politicians are, how corrupt Japan's legal system is, how corrupt Japan's corporation's are, this little "offence" is a little drop in the ocean.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No it didn't, not by any legal nor moral means. Legally, it was a processing error, that he had done nothing to earn, and therefore is not entitled to keep. Morally, he did nothing to earn it, and therefore has no right to it. The money was never his, and for spending it, he deserves what he gets.

Perhaps not but he didn't steal and and wasn't charged with theft, so therefore he isn't a thief.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Perhaps not but he didn't steal and and wasn't charged with theft..

...yet. He's been charged, that gives the police time to investigate the other crimes they actually want to charge him with. Ever heard of the charge "abandonment of a corpse"? It's the charge they put on someone so that they can then have freedom to investigate them for murder. This is the same thing. They have him on a petty crime they don't care about, while they investigate him for the one they do.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Oh well, he's still young he can return the rest maybe for life until his last breath on earth

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Like a candle in the wind burning so brightly just to be blown away.

you only get so many chances in life and for him this one has gone, like a candle in the wind.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Poor fella, Life was all good till Apr-12th 2022. He is guilty BUT I think it's crime to put a bait too.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

If I wire transfer someone by mistake, I will have hard time getting my money back, Most probably law will say, you are an adult, you agree with all terms and condition before the wire-transfer, We can request but can't forced it into a crime "stealing" case.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

It's still pretty funny that they managed to find one of the few Japanese people dishonest enough to try to keep the cash. I myself would have been tempted...or more than tempted..

That's just it. Temptation was handed to him on a plate. The worst thing that should ever happen to him, in my opinion, is Community Payback.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

One wrong choice in life and everything can go downhill from there. Imagine if he had return the money at the the beginning. He would be famous throughout the country, respected by the whole town and every media would have painted him as a good citizen that is trustworthy and kind.

But he choose the money. Using tricks and lies to take advantage of a error transfer and try to steal from the town. I don't think he would be welcome anymore by the folks there even if they cannot charge him with anything. Good luck trying to find a job or a place to live there. Small communities like these are very close with each other and does not tolerate these kind of things. He is lucky the mayor didn't plaster his face all over the nation when he went into hiding. Then he would be truly screwed.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

However, he is still a thief. The money was not his to keep and he knew it. 

Not really, once they sent it to his account it became his money.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When I see how corrupt Japan's politicians are, how corrupt Japan's legal system is, how corrupt Japan's corporation's are, this little "offence" is a little drop in the ocean.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Shafted! So he hadn’t spent it as he claimed, he was trying to move it piece by piece only to be done over and have it all sent back. Now he’s a criminal and didn’t even spend the money, unlucky fella.

I am not aware that he has been indicted yet, or even been on trail. He is not a criminal yet. (He is probably still being detained, after 48 hours judges just rubber-stamp endorse the arrest without even looking at facts).

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

The Government is at fault here. I think if they sent hime the money, he should be able to keep it. It was not his fault. The mistake was not his.

-5 ( +11 / -16 )

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