Bitcoin Miner Denied Access to Landfill Site to Retrieve £598m Hard Drive, Judge Rules

A man’s quest to sue a council over his efforts to dig through a landfill in search of a Bitcoin hard drive worth nearly £600m has hit a roadblock as a judge dismissed his case. James Howells claimed his former partner mistakenly discarded the hard drive in 2013, which has now significantly appreciated in value to around £598m.

The landfill site in Newport, Wales, where the hard drive is believed to be, holds over 1.4 million tonnes of waste. Mr. Howells narrowed down the location of the Bitcoin wallet to an area of 100,000 tonnes within the site. Despite his efforts, the council asked the court to reject his plea to access the landfill or receive £495m in compensation, stating that the hard drive is now considered their property since it was dumped in the rubbish tip.

Bitcoin is a type of virtual currency that exists purely online without physical notes or coins. It can be used for online purchases and is stored in a digital wallet, with some shops and countries prohibiting its use. Mr. Howells began using Bitcoin in the late 2000s but forgot about it when it was thrown away. However, as the value of the cryptocurrency surged by more than 80% in 2024, he enlisted a team of experts to locate the missing hard drive.

Despite facing setbacks and repeated denials from Newport City Council to excavate the landfill, Mr. Howells sought legal action with the support of an American hedge fund. His offer to donate 10% of the funds to the local community was seen as an attempt to sway the council, but the judge ruled that there were no reasonable grounds for the case to proceed to trial.

While Mr. Howells remains determined to retrieve his lost hard drive, the legal battle continues as he navigates the complexities of landfill ownership and environmental regulations. The case serves as a reminder of the challenges individuals face in recovering valuable assets mistakenly discarded in waste facilities.