Man Sues Council Over £569 Million Bitcoin Fortune Lost in Landfill
James Howells, a 39-year-old from Newport, Wales, is fighting for a final chance to recover a fortune in Bitcoin (BTC) worth £569 million, accidentally discarded over a decade ago. His quest centers around a hard drive believed to be buried in a local landfill, a site owned by Newport City Council.
The saga began when Howells’ partner mistakenly threw away a black bin bag containing the hard drive, unaware it held the key to an immense cryptocurrency fortune. At the time, the 8,000 Bitcoins stored on the device were valued at just £4 million, but Bitcoin’s meteoric rise has since multiplied their worth dramatically.
For years, Howells has appealed to the council for permission to excavate the landfill, offering assurances of safe and environmentally friendly methods. However, his requests have been repeatedly denied due to concerns over environmental disruption and potential costs. Frustrated by the council’s resistance, Howells is now turning to the courts as a last resort to gain access to the site.
Howells has assembled a team of experts and is optimistic about overturning the council’s initial objections in a preliminary hearing scheduled for early next month. If successful, a full trial is expected to follow within six months. To sweeten his case, Howells has pledged to donate 10% of the recovered Bitcoin value—equivalent to over £56 million—back to the local community, envisioning Newport as a hub akin to Dubai or Las Vegas.
The hard drive’s story highlights cryptocurrency’s unpredictable nature and the logistical challenges of digital asset recovery. As Bitcoin continues to climb in value, the stakes in this legal battle grow higher.
Whether Howells can retrieve his fortune remains uncertain, but his determination underscores the lengths some will go to reclaim lost opportunities in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency.
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