When Newport man James Howells mined 8,000 Bitcoin back in 2009, he couldn’t have predicted the cryptocurrency would one day be worth a staggering £569 million. But today, that fortune lies buried in a Welsh landfill — and the story of how it got there has taken a dramatic twist.
A Cleanup That Cost Millions
Nearly a decade ago, James asked his then-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, to help clear out some belongings. Among the items discarded during the cleanout was a seemingly unremarkable hard drive. Little did either of them know, that hard drive contained the key to his Bitcoin fortune.
Halfina has now spoken out, shedding light on the fateful day. “Yes, I threw away his rubbish — he asked me to,” she explained. “The computer part had been disposed of in a black sack along with other unwanted belongings.” While James claims she discarded the item without his consent, Halfina insists it was at his request, and she’s eager for him to recover the hard drive to end the ongoing saga.
James, determined to retrieve his lost treasure, has been locked in a battle with the Newport council for permission to dig through the landfill. The council, citing environmental concerns, has repeatedly denied his requests. Despite the setback, James has pledged to give 10% of the recovered fortune back to the town if he succeeds.
“I still own the intellectual property on that hard drive,” James said. “It’s crazy money that could do so much good for the area.”
As the standoff continues, the world watches this modern-day treasure hunt unfold, proving that even digital riches can slip through one’s fingers in the most unexpected ways. For James, the quest to reclaim his Bitcoin fortune is far from over.
