His wife throws away his hard drive containing 742 million euros in Bitcoins: he spends 12 years looking for it
This man has spent a large part of his life trying (in vain) to find his hard drive, and all the treasure it contains. Now, at the request of the British authorities, he's throwing in the towel.
It all began in August 2013, in the town of Newport, Wales. James Howells asked his girlfriend at the time to get rid of his hard drive, believing it to be empty of files. According to the Briton's statement, he mistook the drive for another (which was indeed empty).
What a blunder! Yes, his hard disk contained a portfolio of almost 8,000 bitcoins, or 8 million euros (the value of crypto-currencies having risen dramatically). James Howells was determined to get his hands on this astronomical sum, and set about digging up the city's landfill site. To his great regret, the municipality didn't grant him the necessary authorization to excavate the site, reports the Demotivateur. This marked the start of a legal battle that would last more than 10 years!
12 years later, the courts have decided that James must abandon his quest. A judge, acting under the Newport Pollution Control Act of 1974, cited a lack of reasonable grounds and a potential violation of environmental laws, forcing him to halt all research. The latter could have posed a threat to public health by releasing substances harmful to the planet.
What a frustration for this Welshman, whose cryptocurrencies are now said to be worth 742 million euros!
(MH with AsD - Source: Demotivateur - Illustration: Unsplash)