For the past decade, James Howells, a 39-year-old resident of Newport, Wales, has been pleading with his city for permission to search through the local landfill. This stems from a mistake he made in 2013 when he threw away a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin, which has since surged in value to about half a billion dollars. Despite his repeated requests, the city council of Newport has consistently denied his pleas, citing environmental regulations and the potential harm of excavating the landfill.
In a bold move to force the council’s hand, Howells has admitted a lawsuit seeking £495,314,800 (~RM2.78 billion) in damages, the approximate value of the Bitcoin he lost. This pursuit has turned into an all-consuming venture for him, prompting him to quit his job and assemble a team of investors willing to share the potential profits if the hard drive is found.
Howells hopes to share a portion of any recovered assets with the local community, highlighting the economic opportunity he believes the city is missing. He even made remarks about how Newport could have been transformed into a vibrant hub akin to Las Vegas or Dubai if his request had been granted in 2013.
The council is still firm on its position, stating that excavation is not permissible under existing environmental permits and could have detrimental effects on the area. They emphasised that they are the only entity authorised to conduct operations at the landfill solely because of environmental purposes.
Howells’ relentless pursuit raises questions about the costs associated with his endeavour, both financially and personally. There’s a significant risk that the hard drive may be lost forever or, even if found, could be completely damaged. However, the potential payoff of reclaiming his lost Bitcoin still keeps Howells motivated to keep trying.
(Source: TechSpot, Wales Online)
