Tag: landfill

  • UK man looks to buy landfill site amid search for $784m lost Bitcoin

    UK man looks to buy landfill site amid search for $784m lost Bitcoin

    Bild von Bitcoins vor einem Mond
    • James Howells claims to have lost a hard drive with 8,000 BTC at a landfill site in 2013.
    • The man now wants to buy the landfill site as the search for the lost BTC worth over $784 million continues.

    James Howells, the man who has been in search of his lost bitcoin worth over $784 million since 2013 is seeking to buy a landfill.

    Howell claims to have mistakenly discarded a hard drive that contained 8,000 BTC and is seeking to buy the landfill site where he lost it in an attempt to recover his fortune.

    The man filed a lawsuit in a bid to have the Newport Council dig up the landfill to try and find the lost bitcoin.  In over 10 years Newport Council has made no attempts to try to recover the discarded bitcoin.

    The quest for lost BTC

    James Howells reported that his fiance discarded the hard drive containing cryptocurrency estimated to have a market value of $784 million in the landfill site in 2013. In an attempt to get his crypto assets back, Howells wants to buy the landfill site.

    BBC recently reported that Howells has approached various investors with a bid to potentially buy the whole landfill site.

    Since 2013, Howells claims that Newport city council have disregarded his plea to be allowed to search for his fortune. The city council has announced plans to have the landfill site converted to a solar farm. They have since acquired planning permission to establish a solar power firm on the site.

    Howells had filed a lawsuit against the council seeking legal grounds to hunt for the accidentally discarded bitcoin. In January, a high court judge made a ruling dismissing the case that required Newport council to forcefully allow Howells to search for his bitcoin.

    During the hearing, Howells noted that Newport council claimed that granting him a search warrant would have detrimental effects on the people around Newport. Plans to close the landfill were also underway, and that would be soon.

    After failed attempts to have the council retrieve the hard drive worth millions for him, Howells offered to buy the whole landfill.

    “I have discussed this option recently with investment partners and it is very much on the table,” he said, according to the BBC.



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  • Bitcoin hard drive containing $780m lost forever as UK landfill site is set to close

    Bitcoin hard drive containing $780m lost forever as UK landfill site is set to close

    metaplanet-buys-bitcoin
    • James Howells lost his court battle against Newport City Council in January
    • The judge ruled that there were “no reasonable grounds” for succeeding at a full trial
    • Today, Howells’ Bitcoin would be worth around $780 million

    A UK landfill site where a man lost his hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin is reportedly set to close in the 2025-26 financial year.

    The site, in Newport, Wales, “has been in exploitation since the early 2000s and is coming to the end of its life, therefore the council is working on a planned closure and capping of the site over the next two years,” said a council spokesperson.

    According to the BBC, a solar farm will be built on part of the site after it received planning permission last August.

    Lost battle

    In January, James Howells lost his court battle against Newport City Council to recover his lost hard drive. In 2013, his former partner mistakenly threw it out in a black bin bag.  Judge Keyser KC, the Circuit Commercial Judge for Wales, dismissed Howells’ case. At the time, Keyser stated there were no “reasonable grounds” for succeeding at a full trial.

    Over the last 12 years, Howells tried to engage with Newport City Council to recover his lost hard drive, but was “largely ignored.”

    At the time of his loss, his assets – that he mined in 2009 – were worth around $1.3 million. Today, they would be valued at over $780 million.

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  • UK judge says there’s no “reasonable grounds” for success with Bitcoin landfill hard drive case

    UK judge says there’s no “reasonable grounds” for success with Bitcoin landfill hard drive case

    • Upon hearing the judge’s decision, Howells said “it’s the great British justice system striking again”
    • Howells lost his hard drive in 2013 when it was accidentally thrown away at the tip
    • He has been trying to engage with Newport City Council for 12 years to recover his hard drive, but says he’s been “largely ignored”

    James Howells has lost his case to recover a lost Bitcoin hard drive from a Welsh landfill that’s now worth around $740 million.

    Howells accidentally threw out his hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin in 2013 during a household clearout. At the time, he had two hard drives of the same size: one was blank while the other contained his Bitcoin.

    He mistakenly put the one containing the Bitcoin into a black bin bag, which his then-girlfriend took to the tip. At the time of his loss, his assets – that he mined in 2009 – were worth around $1.3 million.

    In October, Howells sued Newport City Council for $646 million in damages after being denied access to the landfill due to environmental concerns.

    Now, Judge Keyser KC, the Circuit Commercial Judge for Wales, has dismissed Howells’ case, stating that there are no “reasonable grounds” for succeeding at a full trial, reports the BBC.

    A 12-year battle

    Upon hearing the decision, Howells said he was “very upset,” adding “it’s the great British justice system striking again.”

    Over the past 12 years, Howells said he has been trying to engage with Newport City Council to recover his lost hard drive, but has been “largely ignored.”

    A court filing states Howells hard drive is located in Cell 2, Area 2 of the Docksway landfill. Yet, despite promises to safely excavate the Newport site and to modernize the landfill, the council have rejected Howells’ requests to dig due to “environmental concerns.”

    Howells’ lawyers claim that the council have “simply ignored” that 10% of Bitcoin could bring “a huge and desperately needed investment in the local community.”

    The judge’s decision comes as Bitcoin soared past $100,000 for the first time at the beginning of December, pushing to an all-time high of more than $108,000.

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  • UK man sues council after denying requests to dig for lost Bitcoin hard drive in landfill

    UK man sues council after denying requests to dig for lost Bitcoin hard drive in landfill

    Crypto.com sues the US SEC after Wells notice
    • James Howell has been trying to get his lost hard drive back for 10 years
    • Howell mined 8,000 Bitcoin on his laptop after learning about Bitcoin in 2009
    • The council have denied Howell’s requests to dig due to “environmental concerns”

    A 39-year-old man is suing Newport City Council for $646 million (£495,314,800 million) in damages after losing his hard drive at a recycling center containing 8,000 Bitcoin.

    James Howell accidentally threw out his hard drive in 2013 during a household clearout. According to WalesOnline, Howell had two hard drives of the same size. One was blank, while the other contained his Bitcoin.

    He mistakenly put the one containing the Bitcoin into a black bin bag, which his then-girlfriend took to the tip. At the time of his loss, his Bitcoin was worth around $1.3 million (£1 million). However, within three months, their value had risen to around $11.7 million (£9 million).

    Howell has reached an agreement, leaving him with 30% of his Bitcoin if the hard drive is found. The remaining would be split between his backers, the recovery team, and the council.

    Howell states that despite meeting a representative of the council in 2013, he’s been “largely ignored.”

    “I’m still allocating 10% of the value for the council even though they have been problematic throughout,” he said. “That would be £41m based on today’s rate but in the future, it could be hundreds of millions.”

    Environmental concerns

    A court filing states that Howell’s hard drive is located in Cell 2- Area 2 of the Docksway landfill.

    If the hard drive is located, the dig would take around 18 to 36 months followed by 12 months of remediation work. Yet, despite promises to safely excavate the Newport site and to modernize the landfill, the council have rejected Howell’s requests to dig due to “environmental concerns.”

    Howell’s lawyers claim that the council have “simply ignored” that 10% of Bitcoin could bring “a huge and desperately needed investment in the local community.”

    Lawyers for the council argue that the hard drive belongs to the council because it was dumped at the tip. However, Howell’s lawyers deny this, claiming that the hard drive was never intended to be thrown away.

    Howell said he didn’t want to go to court, but “this is the final shot.”

    The case is expected to be heard in December.

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