Bitcoin Bonanza Gone Wrong: Woman Dumps ₹5,900 Crore in Trash, Man Searches for Lost Treasure
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A woman has confessed to accidentally discarding the hard drive containing the key to her ex-boyfriend James Howells' lost Bitcoin fortune, now worth an astounding ₹5,900 crore (£569 million).
Halfina Eddy-Evans, the mother of Howells' two teenage sons, revealed that nearly a decade ago, she took the hard drive to a landfill in Newport, Wales, at Howells’ request. “He begged me to take a bag of rubbish to the tip," Eddy-Evans told MailOnline. "I had no idea what was inside. Losing it wasn’t my fault.”
In 2009, Howells mined 8,000 Bitcoins but later forgot about them. The hard drive, which contained the key to his cryptocurrency wealth, was mistakenly thrown away during a cleanup. It is now buried under 100,000 tonnes of waste at a Newport landfill, remaining beyond reach.
Howells is suing Newport City Council for ₹4,900 crore (£495 million), alleging that they are withholding access to the landfill. He has vowed to continue his efforts until the hard drive is recovered. “This treasure hunt isn’t going away,” he told *Fortune*. “The value grows every day.”
However, the council has consistently refused his requests, citing environmental concerns and stating that excavation is not allowed under their current permits. A council spokesperson stated, "Excavation would have a huge negative impact on the area."
Eddy-Evans, who is tied to Howells' quest, has said she doesn’t want any of the fortune if it’s found. "I hope he finds it, but I don’t want a penny. I just want him to stop talking about it," she said, expressing concern for his mental health.
Howells has pledged to donate 10% of the fortune to transform Newport into a major entertainment hub, likening it to the UK’s Dubai or Las Vegas, if the hard drive is successfully recovered. His legal battle continues, with a hearing scheduled for early December.
