In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency, few stories capture the drama and devastation of lost digital wealth quite like that of James Howells. A former IT worker from Newport, South Wales, Howells’ tale reads like a modern tragedy, one involving an accidental disposal, a landfill full of secrets, and nearly a billion dollars in vanished Bitcoin.
In 2013, James Howells inadvertently threw away a hard drive that contained the private key to his Bitcoin wallet. Back then, the 8,000 Bitcoins stored on that drive were worth a respectable $8 million, not pocket change, but not quite the astronomical sum they would eventually represent. Over time, as Bitcoin’s value surged, that same drive came to represent a potential windfall of roughly $742 million.
While Howells initially attributed the blunder to routine tidying, he later claimed that his ex-partner was the one who accidentally discarded the drive—a point he shared with the BBC. Regardless of how it happened, the mistake left him with one of the most costly regrets in tech history.
Determined to recover his digital treasure, Howells proposed an ambitious and sophisticated plan. His vision included using AI-driven drones, robotic digging equipment, and advanced sorting systems to comb through the Newport landfill—all at his own expense. He promised minimal environmental impact and full compliance with safety protocols.
Despite his detailed proposals and self-funded approach, Newport City Council denied him access, citing significant environmental concerns. Digging into the landfill, officials argued, risked releasing toxic gases and contaminating local water sources. Adding to the complications, UK waste laws declare that any item discarded into a landfill becomes the property of the site itself, introducing another legal layer that stood in Howells’ way.
Howells didn’t just fight the council—he took his battle to court. In 2024, after years of back-and-forth, a British judge ruled that his efforts had “no realistic prospect” of success. The decision rested on multiple factors, including the physical degradation of the hard drive after more than a decade buried under compacted, damp refuse.
Undeterred by the risks, Howells had even sought £495 million in compensation or permission to dig. But the judge pointed out that the statute of limitations under UK law made his case effectively unwinnable. Experts also questioned whether the drive could even be recovered in any usable form after such long exposure to harsh conditions.
Though the legal chapter has ended, Howells’ story is set to reach new audiences. A Los Angeles-based media company, LEBUL, has secured rights to turn his saga into a docuseries titled “The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt of James Howells.” Slated for release in late 2025, the series will blend documentary storytelling with CGI to bring the search—and the loss—to life.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to show the world exactly what we want to do at the landfill site,” said Howells. Even after losing in court, he declared, “I’m not giving up the fight.”
