A computer engineer from Newport, who lost a fortune in Bitcoin, has expressed interest in purchasing the landfill site where he believes his missing hard drive is buried.
James Howells claims his ex-girlfriend mistakenly disposed of a hard drive containing 8,000 bitcoins back in 2013. With Bitcoin’s value having soared since then, the lost cryptocurrency is now estimated to be worth approximately £620 million.
Mr Howells recently attempted to sue Newport City Council for access to the landfill on Docks Way, or alternatively, for £495 million in compensation. However, his case was dismissed by a judge, who ruled that too much time had passed between the loss of the hard drive and the legal claim being made. The judge also stated that there were no reasonable grounds for the claim and “no realistic prospect” of it succeeding at trial.
Despite the setback, Mr Howells remains determined to recover his lost Bitcoin. “I would be potentially interested in purchasing the landfill site,” he said. “I have discussed this option recently with investment partners, and it is very much on the table.”
The landfill site, which contains more than 1.4 million tonnes of waste, is set to be closed during the 2025-26 financial year. Planning permission has already been granted for a solar farm on the site, which is expected to generate power for Newport Council’s new fleet of bin lorries.
Mr Howells has questioned the council’s stance on his request to search for the hard drive, given its existing plans for the site. “The council planning on closing the landfill so soon is quite a surprise, especially since it claimed at the High Court that closing the landfill to allow me to search would have a huge detrimental impact on the people of Newport, whilst at the same time they were planning to close the landfill anyway,” he said.
Newport City Council has declined to comment further on the matter. Meanwhile, Mr Howells is considering appealing Judge Keyser’s decision to dismiss his case, as he continues his efforts to reclaim his lost Bitcoin fortune.
Newport man wants to buy tip where he lost Bitcoin fortune
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