Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Man Offers to Buy Landfill in Final Bid to Recover Lost Bitcoin Worth $800 Million

James Howells, who accidentally discarded a hard drive containing his bitcoin key in 2013, proposes purchasing the landfill after years of failed attempts to retrieve it.

  • James Howells accidentally threw away a hard drive in 2013 containing the private key to access bitcoin now valued at nearly $800 million.
  • After years of legal battles with Newport City Council in South Wales, Howells has proposed buying the landfill outright to search for the lost device.
  • Howells' previous offers to fund excavation and share a portion of the bitcoin's value with the council were rejected due to environmental and logistical concerns.
  • A British High Court recently dismissed his case, ruling there was no realistic prospect of success in recovering the hard drive.
  • The Newport landfill is scheduled to close within the next year, adding urgency to Howells' proposal to clean up the site and convert it for other uses.
Hero image