TechFlow reports that on February 10, according to The Block, James Howells, a resident of Newport in South Wales, UK, plans to purchase a landfill site in an attempt to recover a hard drive accidentally discarded in 2013. The drive contains approximately 7,500 bitcoins, valued at around $768 million. Howells previously sued the Newport City Council for permission to search the landfill, but on January 9, 2025, a judge dismissed the case, citing insufficient legal grounds and low chances of success. Howells stated he has discussed with investment partners the possibility of buying the landfill and intends to appeal the judge's ruling. He pointed out contradictions between the landfill’s closure plan and the council’s earlier claims of "massive public impact."
The bitcoins were mined by Howells in 2009 when their value was extremely low. He has repeatedly organized expert teams to locate the hard drive and proposed sharing the proceeds from any recovered bitcoins with the council, but these offers were rejected. The landfill is scheduled to close and be converted into a solar farm during the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Howells estimates that by 2026, the value of his lost bitcoins could exceed $1.2 billion.
Previous report: Landfill holding hard drive with $750 million in bitcoin set to close permanently.
