James Howells Loses Another Legal Battle to Unearth $675 Million Bitcoin Hard Drive
James Howells, a Welshman who accidentally dumped a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins in a landfill, has failed again in his bid to reclaim the site from excavation. After losing his latest appeal, Howells has decided to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
The City of Newport, where the landfill is located, has maintained its refusal to Howells’ request and plans to turn the site into a solar farm by 2026, focusing on long-term economic development. This has created a major obstacle for Howells, who has attempted to purchase the landfill to carry out the excavation process.
Howells' Long Fight to Recover Bitcoin
As Bitcoin's value has skyrocketed over the years, many have sought to recover their lost BTC. But the story of James Howells stands out. The man mistakenly dumped a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins in a landfill in 2013 and has been on a long quest to recover his fortune ever since.
Despite repeated rejections from UK courts, Howells has persisted. In 2021, he made a $72 million bid to Newport Council in the hope of gaining the right to excavate the landfill. Earlier this year, he tried to buy the site, but his bid was rejected again.
In his latest appeal, Howells suffered a major setback when the court rejected his lawsuit, stating that there was “no real prospect of success” and no compelling reason to consider the appeal.
Newport Focuses on Landfill Development Plan
Despite Howells’ persistent efforts, the city of Newport has insisted that it has no plans to change its mind and will proceed with the landfill site closure in 2026 to develop it into a solar farm. They are not interested in Bitcoin mining and are focused on implementing long-term economic plans.
Howells remains steadfast in his determination. After his latest setback, he announced on social media: “Next stop: the European Court of Human Rights,” continuing to push forward with his legal battle to recover $675 million worth of Bitcoin.
Massive Losses from Lost Hard Drives
Howells is not alone in the tragedy of losing Bitcoin. Globally, billions of dollars have been lost in similar incidents. The UK government once estimated that in 2021, around $140 billion worth of Bitcoin had been lost forever. This figure is believed to have increased sharply in recent years.
While storing cryptocurrencies on hardware wallets is considered a safe method, incidents like Howells’s are a reminder of the potential risks. Even if he were able to excavate the dump, the chances of the hard drive still being functional are very low due to the time and environmental conditions.
In all, Howells’ fight to recover his lost Bitcoins seems like an impossible task. However, with his persistence, he continues to seek one last chance in the European courts to reclaim his massive lost fortune.