- Court denies James Howells’ landfill search, blocking recovery of $770M worth of discarded Bitcoin.
- Newport City Council cites environmental risks to refuse excavation for lost Bitcoin-filled hard drive.
- Bitcoin’s value surge amplifies James Howells’ $770M loss; legal efforts dismissed as impractical.
James Howells, an IT engineer from Newport, Wales, has failed in his legal bid to get back a Hard disk. The hard drive that contains 8,000 Bitcoin mined in 2009 is worth over $770 million today. Judge Keyser, the Circuit Commercial Judge for Wales, dismissed the case on January 9. The judge ruled that Howells’ case had no realistic prospect of succeeding in a full trial.
Howells accidentally threw away the hard drive in 2013, mistaking it for trash. The hard drive ended up in a Newport landfill. Despite multiple requests, Newport City Council has denied Howells access to search for the drive. The council cited environmental permit restrictions as the primary reason for their refusal.
Bitcoin’s Value Amplifies the Loss
Bitcoin rallied in 2024 and it came with an analysis of $100,000 for every Bitcoin that reminded Howells of his loss. Howells purchased the Bitcoin in 2009 when its value was extremely low. Since 2013, Howells has repeatedly offered to share any recovered Bitcoin with the council. However, the council declined his offers, citing potential environmental damage from excavation.
Howells claims the council violated environmental regulations by allowing the landfill to leak harmful substances. He alleges that arsenic, asbestos, and methane gases are seeping into the local environment. Despite presenting over 100 pieces of verified evidence, Howells could not secure access to the landfill.
Council Maintains Strict Environmental Stance
Newport City Council issued a statement on October 11, 2024, reaffirming its position against the excavation. The council explained that environmental permits prohibit digging up the landfill. The council emphasized that excavation would pose significant risks to the surrounding area. They also cited high costs and logistical challenges associated with such an operation.
Howells has spent more than a decade pursuing negotiations with the council. However, the council consistently refused to meet him in person to discuss his case. The dismissal of Howells’ legal case marks a significant setback in his efforts to recover the lost Bitcoin fortune.
With environmental concerns cited as the main obstacle, Howells faces limited options to pursue further recovery attempts. Bitcoin’s meteoric rise in value has highlighted the scale of the financial loss. However, environmental and legal barriers continue to block Howells’ access to the landfill site.
