Some 35 million yen out of the COVID-19 relief money totaling 46.3 million yen that a western Japan town mistakenly paid to a local man has been returned to the town, sources said Monday.

A settlement service company used by Sho Taguchi, the 24-year-old resident of the town of Abu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, who has been arrested for allegedly using part of the money, returned the major portion of the money, the sources said.

Taguchi had sent most of the relief funds to three settlement services agencies. Of the money, 80 percent was remitted to one company.

It is from this company that the 35 million yen is believed to have been sent to the town, according to the sources.

The Yamaguchi prefectural police arrested Taguchi on Wednesday on suspicion of computer fraud, accusing him of spending part of the relief funds knowing they were mistakenly sent.

Town officials declined to comment on the return of the 35 million yen.

JIJI Press