A British IT worker's decade-long quest to recover his lost Bitcoin fortune has taken a new turn, as he now plans to purchase an entire landfill site where he believes his cryptocurrency-laden hard drive is buried.
James Howells, 39, claims his former partner accidentally threw away a hard drive containing 7,500 Bitcoins in 2013. At current valuations, the lost cryptocurrency would be worth approximately £598 million ($700 million).
The hard drive is believed to be buried somewhere in a Newport, Wales landfill, which contains over 1.4 million tonnes of waste. Despite this massive search area, Howells maintains he has narrowed down the possible location to a section containing about 100,000 tonnes of refuse.
This latest development comes after years of failed attempts to gain access to the site. The Newport City Council has repeatedly denied Howells' requests to excavate the area, citing environmental and safety concerns. His recent legal challenge against the council was dismissed by a High Court judge, who ruled the case had no realistic prospect of succeeding.
Now, with the council announcing plans to close the landfill in 2025-26 and convert it into a solar farm, Howells sees an opportunity. "I would be potentially interested in purchasing the landfill site. I have discussed this option recently with investment partners and it is very much on the table," he told the BBC.
Over the years, Howells has proposed various schemes to recover the hard drive, including offering the city 25% of any recovered funds and suggesting the use of Boston Dynamics robotic dogs for the excavation. He even developed an $11 million business plan that would combine the search with establishing a mining facility on the site.
However, the council has maintained its position against any excavation attempts. Even if Howells manages to purchase the site, there's no guarantee the hard drive would be found or that it would still function after years buried under tons of waste.
The story serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of cryptocurrency storage and highlights the increasing value of Bitcoin since its early days, when Howells first mined his coins in 2009.