British Man Plans to Buy Landfill to Recover Lost Hard Drive Containing £600 Million in Bitcoin

For over a decade, IT specialist James Howells has been on a relentless quest to retrieve a lost hard drive that could hold a fortune.

Back in 2013, during a routine cleanup, Howells mistakenly placed a hard drive containing his digital wallet inside a black bag and left it in his hallway. Unfortunately, his girlfriend, assuming it was trash, discarded the bag. According to The Guardian, that drive held a staggering 7,500 bitcoins. By February 2025, the value of those bitcoins could soar to £600 million.

Once he realized the error, Howells made numerous attempts to recover the hard drive. He even offered to share a portion of the wealth with local authorities in exchange for their cooperation. However, city officials refused, arguing that the hard drive legally became municipal property once it was discarded at the landfill.

Determined, Howells took the matter to court, challenging the local government’s stance. Despite his efforts, the lawsuit was dismissed. The judge ruled that there were no “reasonable grounds” to pursue legal action.

Now, the city plans to close the landfill altogether, having already secured permission to develop a solar power plant on the site. In response, Howells has proposed purchasing the landfill "as is" if the Newport City Council is open to negotiations.

He described the closure plans as "unexpected." While authorities had previously resisted excavation efforts, citing potential disruption to residents, their decision to shut down the site entirely has changed the situation. Whether this opens a new path for Howells remains to be seen.