In 2013, James Howells, an IT engineer from Newport, Wales, inadvertently lost access to approximately 8,000 Bitcoins after his ex-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, mistakenly discarded a hard drive containing the cryptocurrency.
At the time, the total Bitcoin was valued at around £500,000. But now, its worth has surged to an estimated £569 million ($716 million).
The mishap happened when Howells was clearing out old items. He carefully set aside the hard drive, knowing it held the keys to his Bitcoin wallet. But in the chaos of cleaning, he mistakenly told Eddy-Evans to toss a bag that contained the precious hard drive.
According to Daily Mail report, she disposed it to the Newport Council landfill located in South Wales, Uk. By the time Howells realised the big mistake, the bag was already buried under a mountain of trash in a landfill of 110 acres holding over 1.4 million tons of waste.
Howells sought permission from Newport City Council to search the landfill for the hard drive. According to the report, he pitched various plans to the council like using AI and robotic diggers to execute the site. He even met with investors who were ready to fund the project, estimated to cost around £10 million.
He also promised to donate a portion of the recovered Bitcoin to local charities and community projects.
However, the council denied his requests due to the environmental concerns and legal restrictions of digging into that amount of waste.
But Howell did not back down. Instead, he took the counsel to court in October this year, and filed a massive $495 million lawsuit. He claimed they’re stopping him from “reclaiming his property”. The court decision on the matter is expected on December 3, 2024.
Meanwhile, Eddy-Evans has grown tired of the whole situation. In an interview with Daily Mail, she said she’s tired of hearing about it. She also wishes Howells the best but admits the ordeal has strained their relationship.
However, the case has become a topic of discussion on social media, with many wondering if Howell will be able to dig up his millions or will it stay lost forever. Either way, only time will tell.
Also Read: MicroStrategy Buys 55,500 BTC for $5.4B, largest in history