In a remarkable turn of events, a British man, James Howells, is pleading with his ex-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, to help him recover a hard drive containing a staggering 8,000 bitcoins – now valued at over $716 million.
This tragic tale traces back to 2013 when Howells, an IT engineer, accidentally discarded the hard drive during a routine household cleanup at the request of Eddy-Evans.
The Revelation and Ex-Girlfriend’s Admission
Eddy-Evans, the mother of Howells’ two teenage sons, has now come forward and revealed her role in the incident.
She explained that Howells had asked her to throw away various items, including the hard drive, which she reluctantly agreed to do.
Eddy-Evans stated, “He asked me to throw away things I didn’t want, including the hard drive. It was not my fault that I threw it away.”
At the time, the price of Bitcoin was less than $1, and the 8,000 BTC on the discarded hard drive was worth a mere fraction of their current value.
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Aftermath and Ongoing Efforts
Since the devastating loss, Howells has made several attempts to retrieve the hard drive from the local landfill in Newport, Wales, where it was discarded.
However, his efforts have been repeatedly thwarted by the Newport City Council, which has refused to grant him permission to excavate the site.
Undeterred, Howells is now suing the council for damages of approximately $647 million, arguing that the council’s refusal to allow him to search the landfill has deprived him of his rightful assets.
Plea for Redemption and Closure
Eddy-Evans, who has grown weary of the ongoing saga, expressed a desire for Howells to find the hard drive, stating, “I’d love nothing more than him to find it. I’m sick and tired of hearing about it.”
She added that while she has no desire to profit from the situation, she hopes the recovery of the hard drive will finally put an end to Howells’ persistent pleas.
This unfolding saga serves as a stark reminder of the importance of securely storing digital assets and the potentially life-changing consequences of careless mistakes in the world of cryptocurrency.
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