James Howells' quest to recover his Bitcoin fortune faces mounting challenges in Newport’s landfill saga.
On dark winter days, it’s easy to reflect on missed opportunities – what if I’d predicted the GameStop rally, actually understood what the hell an NFT is early enough, or listened to that YouTuber 11 years ago telling me to buy $1 worth of Bitcoin? For James Howells, these 'what-ifs' became his reality. Once ahead of the curve, he lost it all in one of the most devastating twists of fate. Here’s everything you need to know about his story.
Needle in the Hay
The UK computer engineer was one of the few people who understood the immense potential of Bitcoin as early as mid-2013, buying 8,000 units of the cryptocurrency for just $130 each – an amount that, by today's standards, is considered a bargain.
In all his genius, the one thing Howell failed to predict was his girlfriend misunderstanding the hard drive containing his Bitcoins for trash and throwing it away. The hard drive, already worth more than 1 million dollars, ended up in the bins and was transported to a landfill in Newport, Wales. Upon learning the new location of the computer engineer’s fortune, he immediately contacted officials and asked them to search through the mountains of trash to find his hard drive.
The Search Begins
But the search never started. For 12 years, officials have repeatedly denied the 39-year-old access to the landfill. Most recently, this month, they argued that there is no realistic prospect of him finding the hard drive, while also claiming that since he threw it away, it is now the property of the state.
Given that the price of one Bitcoin is approximately $90,000, and the hard drive is worth about $750 million, Howell has left no stone unturned in his efforts. He offered the city 10% of its value, suggesting that Newport would have looked like Las Vegas by now had he found it. He even promised to fund the search with his own money and proposed using AI, which he believes would practically guarantee success. However, despite all his efforts, none of his arguments have proven successful. Now, he plans to take the case to the UK's Supreme Court, where his journey will continue.
Do you think Howell is right to continue searching for his fortune? What would you do to try and find the hard drive? Share your thoughts in the comments!