James Howells, a man who has spent over a decade attempting to retrieve a hard drive containing Bitcoin now valued at more than $750 million, remains steadfast in his pursuit. After a judge recently rejected his request to excavate a landfill in search of the device, Howells is now exploring an alternative strategy purchasing the landfill itself, which is slated for closure.
According to TechSpot, Howells took legal action against the city of Newport, Wales, in October 2024,seeking permission to search the landfill or demanding £495 million ($607 million) in compensation. He asserted in court that he had a “finely tuned plan” for the recovery effort and had pinpointed the hard drive’s possible location within a confined section of the site.
Despite his confidence, a High Court judge dismissed his case in January, ruling that there were no “reasonable grounds” for the lawsuit and “no realistic prospect” of a successful outcome. Undeterred, Howells expressed his intention to appeal the decision.
Shortly thereafter, Newport City Council revealed its plan to shut down and seal the landfill during the 2025-26 financial year. Part of the site is expected to be repurposed as a solar farm to power the council’s new fleet of garbage trucks. Howells commented on this development, stating, “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.”
Acknowledging that the landfill is already 80% to 90% full, Howells said he had anticipated its eventual closure. He also indicated an interest in purchasing the land “as is” if the council was open to negotiations. According to Howells, discussions with investment partners have taken place, and a formal bid is “very much on the table.”
The landfill contains over 1.4 million tons of waste, and Howells claims he has pinpointed the hard drive’s location within an area containing approximately 100,000 tons. He estimates that by next year, the Bitcoin stored on the drive could be worth £1 billion ($1.2 billion).
The saga began in 2013 when Howells accidentally discarded the hard drive. At the time, he had two identical 2.5-inch drives stored in a drawer, one containing a digital wallet with 7,500 to 8,000 Bitcoin, and the other designated for disposal. During an office cleanout, he placed the Bitcoin-containing drive in a black trash bag and left it in the hallway of his home. His partner, assuming it was trash, took the bag to the local landfill, where it has remained ever since.
When questioned about why he continues his efforts despite the likelihood that the data may have been damaged after years buried under waste, Howells responded, “I could spend the rest of my life working nine to five and thinking about (the fortune) every day,” adding that as long as there remains a chance of recovery, he sees no reason to abandon his pursuit.
