James Howells Ends 12-Year Search for Lost Bitcoin Hard Drive Valued at $742 Million
The former IT worker's quest to recover a hard drive containing access keys to 8,000 bitcoins concludes after numerous failed attempts.
James Howells, a former IT worker from Newport, South Wales, concluded a 12-year search for a hard drive mistakenly thrown away in 2013, which contained the access keys to a digital wallet holding 8,000 bitcoins.
As of now, the value of this cryptocurrency equates to over $742 million, a significant fortune that has been lost since the error occurred during a routine office cleaning.
Howells began mining bitcoin in 2009 when the cryptocurrency had negligible value.
In 2013, he accidentally discarded the hard drive that was crucial for accessing his digital wallet.
Over the years, as bitcoin's value surged to new heights, Howells recognized that he had lost one of the largest personal fortunes ever forfeited in the cryptocurrency world.
During the last decade, Howells undertook several attempts to recover the hard drive, including proposing a $15 million plan to the Newport City Council to search the municipal landfill.
His proposal involved the use of drones equipped with artificial intelligence, robotic systems, and environmental consultancy to minimize ecological impact, all funded privately to avoid public financial burden.
However, local authorities repeatedly rejected his requests, citing health risks, potential toxic gas contamination, environmental damage, and low technical feasibility.
Furthermore, British laws state that landfill waste is owned by the landfill operator, which legally complicates any recovery efforts.
A British court ruled last year that the chances of finding and retrieving the hard drive were nearly nonexistent.
After being buried under 15,000 tons of waste for over a decade, experts concluded that moisture, pressure, and extreme temperature conditions would render the recovery of its contents virtually impossible.
Additionally, UK regulations prohibit claims for objects lost in a landfill after a six-year period.
Despite the setbacks, Howells has not entirely ruled out the possibility of future legal or technical avenues for recovery; however, each passing year further diminishes this probability.
Howells' case has gained international attention, prompting a production company from Los Angeles to acquire rights to create a documentary series titled 'The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells,' slated for release in late 2025.
As of now, the value of this cryptocurrency equates to over $742 million, a significant fortune that has been lost since the error occurred during a routine office cleaning.
Howells began mining bitcoin in 2009 when the cryptocurrency had negligible value.
In 2013, he accidentally discarded the hard drive that was crucial for accessing his digital wallet.
Over the years, as bitcoin's value surged to new heights, Howells recognized that he had lost one of the largest personal fortunes ever forfeited in the cryptocurrency world.
During the last decade, Howells undertook several attempts to recover the hard drive, including proposing a $15 million plan to the Newport City Council to search the municipal landfill.
His proposal involved the use of drones equipped with artificial intelligence, robotic systems, and environmental consultancy to minimize ecological impact, all funded privately to avoid public financial burden.
However, local authorities repeatedly rejected his requests, citing health risks, potential toxic gas contamination, environmental damage, and low technical feasibility.
Furthermore, British laws state that landfill waste is owned by the landfill operator, which legally complicates any recovery efforts.
A British court ruled last year that the chances of finding and retrieving the hard drive were nearly nonexistent.
After being buried under 15,000 tons of waste for over a decade, experts concluded that moisture, pressure, and extreme temperature conditions would render the recovery of its contents virtually impossible.
Additionally, UK regulations prohibit claims for objects lost in a landfill after a six-year period.
Despite the setbacks, Howells has not entirely ruled out the possibility of future legal or technical avenues for recovery; however, each passing year further diminishes this probability.
Howells' case has gained international attention, prompting a production company from Los Angeles to acquire rights to create a documentary series titled 'The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells,' slated for release in late 2025.