After 12 Years of Failed Attempts, James Howells, the Man Who Lost His Hard Drive Containing $742M in Bitcoin Finally Ends His Search

8000 bitcoinJames Howells, a Newport man, lost 8,000 Bitcoins worth $742 million in 2013 after discarding a hard drive containing the private keys in a landfill. Despite a decade-long effort to recover the drive, including high-tech plans and legal battles, Howells was ultimately denied permission to access the landfill by local authorities and a British judge ruled against his case in 2024. The case highlights the challenges of recovering digital wealth and the importance of proper storage and disposal of sensitive information. A documentary, "The Buried Bitcoin," is currently in production to tell Howells' story.