For over a decade, computer engineer James Howells, 39, has struggled to get back his missing Bitcoin wealth, worth £ 600 million. He is convinced that the hard drive is buried in a municipal -owned dump in southern Wales – a place that will soon be closed and become a solar cell park.
“I expected it to be closed within a few years, but not that it would happen so soon,” he says The Guardian.
Was thrown by the then girlfriend
During an office cleaning in the summer of 2013, the hard drive ended up in a black bag. By mistake, his then partner threw it at the dump, and since then it has not been seen.
Subsequently, James Howell’s asked the municipality for a permit to look for it, he also offered to share the money with the municipality, but the proposal was denied. The municipality believes it is on their land and now their property.
“It’s not about greed, I’m happy to share the profits, but no one in a position of power wants a sensible conversation with me,” he says BBC.
Recently, the court has also rejected his lawsuit against the municipality.
Want to buy the entire dump
After many years of fighting came the message that would mean the end for his bitcoins. The municipality has been granted building permits to turn the tip into a solar cell park. James Howells has said that the message was “quite surprising” in view of the municipality’s previous argument:
“The municipality claimed that a closure of the dump to let me look would have a huge negative impact on the residents of Newport, while they themselves planned to close the tip anyway,” says James Howells according to The Guardian.
His last resort is now to buy the entire tip, which holds 1.4 million tonnes of waste.
“If the municipality is willing, I would be interested in buying it in existing condition. I have discussed the option with investment partners, and it is something that is really on the table, ”he says.