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If you’ve been following along, you’ll know the story well. Back in 2013, James Howells, a computer engineer from Newport, accidentally discarded a hard drive containing a staggering 8,000 Bitcoin—worth approximately £620 million today.
Ever since that fateful day, Howells has been on a relentless mission to gain access to the landfill where he believes his fortune lies buried beneath an estimated 100,000 tonnes of waste. Over the years, he has proposed high-tech excavation plans, lined up financial backers, and even launched legal battles against Newport City Council, all in the hope of reclaiming what was once his. But despite his efforts, the council has remained steadfast in its refusal to let him dig.
However, in a shocking new twist, Howells is now proposing an entirely different strategy: buying the landfill outright.
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For years, Newport City Council has argued that excavating the landfill would be an environmental and logistical nightmare. They claimed that allowing Howells to search for his hard drive would have a "huge detrimental impact" on the people of Newport. But in a rather ironic turn of events, it has now been revealed that the council plans to close the landfill anyway in the 2025-26 financial year.
This revelation has not gone unnoticed by Howells, who was quick to point out the contradiction. If shutting down the landfill was such an unthinkable disruption, why had the council been planning to do it all along?
Rather than continuing the fight to gain temporary access, Howells has proposed a new solution: purchasing the entire landfill site. Backed by investment partners, he sees this as his best chance to take control of the land and conduct his long-awaited search on his own terms.
Despite this latest move, Newport City Council remains tight-lipped. After successfully fighting off Howells’ £495 million lawsuit, the council has refused to comment on whether they would even consider selling the site.
Meanwhile, Howells isn’t giving up. He is planning to appeal the judge’s ruling that dismissed his case, arguing that too much time had passed between the hard drive’s loss and his legal action.
While his legal prospects remain uncertain, one thing is clear—James Howells is not ready to let go of his digital fortune just yet.
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This ongoing saga is a stark reminder of the risks that come with digital currency. Unlike gold or silver, which can sit safely in a vault or under a floorboard, Bitcoin is entirely virtual. One lost password, one discarded hard drive, and your fortune could be gone forever.
As the years go by and Bitcoin continues to increase in value, the stakes only grow higher. At today’s prices, 8,000 Bitcoin would make Howells one of the richest people in Wales, and yet his wealth remains locked away beneath 1.4 million tonnes of trash.
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With the council’s solar farm plans moving forward, time is running out for Howells. If he cannot secure ownership of the landfill, his long-lost fortune may soon be trapped beneath a field of solar panels, lost to history forever.
Will the council sell him the land? Will he win an appeal and force a legal rethink? Or will his Bitcoin remain buried, serving as the ultimate cautionary tale for cryptocurrency investors everywhere?
Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—this Newport Bitcoin saga is far from over.
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Even if he buys the land, there’s no guarantee he ever finds it still.
Youd want to know though. I mean be 100% sure?? Ifni thought there was a chance, id never stop looking for it, ifnitnwere mine
Hes got investors backing him, so hes not going to use hisnown money. He onlympays out, IF he finds, and can even retrieve his bitcoin
I understand it’s totally worth trying but the hard drive could be destroyed as well
For a long time, ive been thinking this is all a lie hes too far invested in to give up on. I dont think hell ever find those BTC, or did he even have them to begin with
It very well could be….. we’ll probably never find out though
I wonder if he was able to retrieve the hard drive, would the keys still be viable?
Hard to believe they’re shutting the landfill down and it sounds like they still do not want to part with ownership!🙄
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