James Howells, who lost a hard drive containing 7,500 bitcoins in a landfill more than a decade ago, is now in a legal battle to recover it. The bitcoins are currently valued at around £500 million, prompting Howells to sue Newport City Council, which claims that anything in the landfill belongs to them. Howells asserts that he has identified a specific area of the landfill where the drive might be and has a team ready to excavate without causing environmental harm. The case is currently in court, with debates over ownership and the feasibility of recovering the hard drive still ongoing.
In an intriguing legal battle, James Howells is trying to retrieve a hard drive that he accidentally threw away in 2013, which contains a staggering collection of 7,500 bitcoins. Back then, the bitcoins were worth a lot, but today, their value has skyrocketed to around £500 million. Howells believes that the drive, which is buried in a local landfill, is still his property and is taking Newport City Council to court to get it back.
The case is ongoing in Cardiff civil court, with Howells arguing for his rights to the drive. Evidence suggests that the drive is lost among tons of waste, but Howells’ legal team insists they can pinpoint a smaller area to search. The council, however, claims that any items in the landfill automatically become theirs and that excavation isn’t allowed due to environmental concerns.
Interestingly, Howells has offered to pay the council £50 million if he can recover the hard drive, hoping to share in the potential fortune. While the council argues that digging through the landfill could harm the environment and costs taxpayers, Howells insists he has a team ready to carry out the excavation safely and without public expense. As the judge weighs the options, people are left wondering if it’s even possible to find a hard drive buried in a landfill for over a decade.
In summary, this case illustrates the complexities of ownership and environmental responsibility, while raising questions about the future of cryptocurrency and its potential wealth.
Tags: James Howells, Bitcoin, Newport City Council, Landfill, Legal Battle, Cryptocurrency, Environmental Concerns.
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What happened to the man’s £500 million bitcoin fortune?
He accidentally threw away a hard drive with his bitcoin wallet, which ended up in a landfill. -
Why is he going to court?
He is trying to get permission to search the landfill for the hard drive to recover his lost bitcoins. -
How long has the hard drive been in the landfill?
The hard drive has been in the landfill for more than 10 years. -
What are his chances of finding the hard drive?
It’s very uncertain, as landfills change a lot over time, and finding a specific hard drive after so long is very difficult. - What would he need to do to search the landfill?
He would need legal permission, money for the search, and a plan to safely look through a large amount of garbage.
