Ex-gf discards hard drive, UK man's Rs 5,900 cr bitcoin lost in landfill

In 2009, the UK man mined 8,000 Bitcoins. But the hard drive containing them was lost in a Newport landfill, now inaccessible despite its growing value

A woman has admitted to accidentally discarding the hard drive containing her ex-boyfriend James Howells’ lost Bitcoin fortune, now valued at Rs 5,900 crore (569 million pounds).

 

Halfina Eddy-Evans, the mother of Howells’ two teenage sons, revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail that nearly a decade ago, she took the computer hard drive to a landfill in Newport, Wales, as part of a cleanup at Howells’ request. “Yes, I threw away his rubbish. He asked me to,” she said. 

 

“I had no idea what was inside. Losing it wasn’t my fault,” she said.

 

In 2009, Howells mined 8,000 Bitcoins, but he forgot about the digital fortune until years later, when he realised the hard drive containing the cryptocurrency’s key had been lost. Now buried under 100,000 tonnes of waste in the Newport landfill, the hard drive remains unreachable, despite its growing value.

 

Howells is currently suing Newport City Council for Rs 4,900 crore (495 million pounds), accusing them of blocking access to the landfill. “This treasure hunt isn't going away,” Howells told Fortune. “The value grows every day,” he said.

 

However, the council has consistently denied his requests for excavation, citing environmental concerns and permit restrictions. A council spokesperson said, “Excavation is not possible under our environmental permit, and such work would have a huge negative impact on the area.”

 

Eddy-Evans has distanced herself from the fortune, insisting she seeks no part in it if the hard drive is recovered. “I hope he finds it, not that I want a penny. I just want him to stop talking about it,” she said.

 

On the other hand, Howells has pledged to donate 10 per cent of the fortune to transform Newport into ‘the Dubai or Las Vegas of the UK’ if the hard drive is located. As his legal battle continues, a court hearing is set for early December.