Man in yearslong battle to retrieve lost Bitcoin hard drive worth around $800 million offers to buy landfill

James Howells, a computer science analyst, is intensifying his efforts to recover a hard drive he accidentally discarded in 2013, which contains a Bitcoin wallet now worth approximately $800 million. After years of unsuccessful pleas to the Newport City Council in Wales for permission to search the landfill, Howells is now offering to purchase the entire site before it closes permanently. His plan involves cleaning the landfill and either converting it into a park or reopening it as a dump.

Previously, Howells proposed fully funding an excavation and sharing 25% of the Bitcoin with the city, but a judge dismissed his claim, citing no reasonable grounds or realistic chance of success. The hard drive, which stored the only copy of his private key, was mistakenly thrown out while he was cleaning his office. Months later, he realized its immense value and has been fighting to retrieve it ever since. However, city officials remain doubtful that the decade-old device can be recovered.

For more information see Louis Casiano “Man in yearslong battle to retrieve lost Bitcoin hard drive worth around $800 million offers to buy landfill“, Fox Business, February 13, 2025.