James Howells, the man forever linked to the world’s most infamous lost Bitcoin stash, has a new chapter to add to his saga.
His ex-girlfriend, Halfina Eddy-Evans, has come forward to admit that she threw out the hard drive containing bitcoins currently worth over $787 million. However, according to her, she only threw the drive away because Howells told her to.
“Yes, I threw away his rubbish,” she reportedly said. “But he begged me to do it. I didn’t know I was tossing out a fortune.”
Now, as Howells fights a bitter legal battle with Newport City Council to excavate a landfill where the hard drive is buried, Eddy-Evans says she’s tired of being dragged into the chaos.
“I want him to find it,” she said. “Not because I care about the money—I don’t want a single penny—but maybe then he’ll shut up about it.”
A $787 million trash run
Howells had mined 8,000 Bitcoins in 2009 during a brief 10-week experiment. For him, it was just a tech hobby — a way to play around with his computer.
That hobby quickly ended after Eddy-Evans complained about the noisy laptop fan keeping her awake at night. Howells stopped mining, but not before his machine overheated during another incident. He accidentally spilled a glass of lemonade on the laptop, leaving it permanently damaged.
Salvaging what he could, Howells transferred personal files like photos and music to a new computer. But the Bitcoin wallet’s private key remained stuck on the hard drive. Due to compatibility issues with Apple’s operating system, Howells couldn’t transfer the key.
He tossed the hard drive into a junk drawer, where it sat for years. In 2013, during a routine clear-out, Howells asked Eddy-Evans to help him dispose of some old items.
She reluctantly agreed, taking several garbage bags, including the one with the hard drive, to the local landfill. At the time, she had no clue what was inside.
“I thought it was just another chore he was dumping on me,” she said. “I didn’t know it was Bitcoin or anything important. He told me to take it to the tip, so I did.”
Landfill drama and legal battles
Fast forward to today, and the Bitcoin in question is now worth over $787 million, with prices recently hitting over $99,000 per coin. Howells, desperate to recover the lost treasure, has been at war with Newport City Council for years.
The council owns and manages the landfill where the hard drive was dumped, and they’ve repeatedly denied his requests to excavate the site.
The landfill is massive—containing over 1.4 million tons of waste. Howells claims he’s narrowed down the search area to 100,000 tons, but the council insists excavation isn’t feasible.
Officials have cited environmental risks and logistical nightmares, arguing that such an operation would disrupt the surrounding area and violate landfill permits.
“We’ve told Mr. Howells multiple times that this work isn’t possible,” a council spokesperson said. “It would have a huge negative environmental impact.”
Howells, undeterred, has now taken the fight to court. Last month, he filed a lawsuit demanding $620 million in damages, accusing the council of withholding his property. The case is set for its first hearing on December 3, where Newport Council will argue to have the claim dismissed.
“This is my property, and I have every right to recover it,” Howells said. “Their refusal to let me dig is outrageous.”
‘Don’t blame me’
For Eddy-Evans, the fallout from the lost Bitcoin has been exhausting. The two share teenage sons, but she says their relationship is virtually nonexistent now. She’s also fed up with being blamed for the loss.
“It’s like everyone thinks this is my fault,” she said. “People tag me online, asking why I threw it away. But it wasn’t my decision. He told me to do it.”
Eddy-Evans also shared that Howells’ obsession with the hard drive had become a major issue in their lives even before their split. After Bitcoin’s value started climbing, Howells realized the hard drive he had discarded could be worth millions. Eddy-Evans says he became fixated on recovering it.
“He wouldn’t stop talking about it,” she said. “Part of me hopes he finds it just so he’ll let it go.”
Despite her frustration, Eddy-Evans acknowledged the magnitude of the situation. She admitted that had she known what was in the bag, she would never have thrown it away. “Of course, I’d have kept it,” she said. “But at the time, it was just junk to me.”
Howells’ fixation on the hard drive isn’t hard to understand. If Bitcoin prices continue their upward trajectory, the value of his lost stash could surpass $1 billion.
He’s promised to use part of the recovered fortune to benefit Newport, pledging 10% of the proceeds to transform the city into a UK version of Dubai or Las Vegas.
But Eddy-Evans isn’t buying into the hype. For her, the situation is more about mental health than money. She believes Howells’ obsession with the hard drive has taken a toll on him.
“Part of me thinks the council should just let him dig it up,” she said. “It’s not good for him to keep obsessing over it.”
Howells has called the lost Bitcoin a “treasure hunt” that only grows more intense with each passing day. For now, though, the treasure remains buried — both literally and legally. Newport Council shows no signs of budging, and Howells’ legal battle could drag on for years.
Meanwhile, Eddy-Evans says she just wants to move on. “I’m tired of hearing about it,” she said. “This whole thing has gone on long enough.”
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