The saga of James Howells, the software engineer who accidentally discarded a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins – a fortune now valued at approximately $765 million – has taken an unexpected turn. His ex-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, has revealed in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail that she was the one who threw away the hard drive at Howells’ request.
Eddy-Evans’ confession casts a new light on the decade-long mystery. She claims that Howells “begged” her to dispose of a black bag of unwanted belongings, unaware that the hard drive holding the cryptocurrency was inside. ‘I thought he should be running his errands, not me, but I did it to help out,’ she stated, emphasizing that she believes she shouldn’t bear the responsibility for the loss. Despite this, she expressed hope that Howells would eventually be successful in retrieving the drive from the Newport landfill where it remains buried.
This revelation significantly impacts Howells’ ongoing legal battle with the Newport City Council. He has been relentlessly pursuing the council for permission to excavate the landfill, seeking compensation for his staggering loss. His claim amounts to approximately $647 million in damages, citing the council’s repeated refusal to grant him access. Howells has even assembled a team of specialists willing to undertake the excavation at no cost to the council, offering them 10% of the recovered Bitcoin’s value as an incentive.
The potential value of these 8,000 Bitcoins is staggering. At the cryptocurrency’s all-time high of $99,645, the total would have been a monumental $797 million. Even at the current market price of approximately $95,736.86, the lost fortune remains a breathtaking $765.9 million.
The case highlights the volatile nature of cryptocurrency investments and the significant risks associated with its storage and security. It also raises questions about accountability and responsibility in situations involving lost or discarded digital assets. Will the Newport City Council reconsider its stance in light of Eddy-Evans’ testimony? Will Howells finally succeed in his quest to retrieve his lost fortune? Only time will tell. This unfolding drama continues to captivate the world, underscoring the unpredictable and often dramatic nature of the cryptocurrency landscape.
